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RALPH 
ON  THE  RAILROAD 

FOUR  COMPLETE  ADVENTURE   BOOKS 
FOR  BOYS  IN  ONE  BIG  VOLUME 

By 

Allen  Chapman 


RALPH  IN  THE  ROUND  HOUSE 

RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 


Illustrated 


GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  Publishers 

NEW  YORK 


RALPH    STEPPED    OVER    HIS     RECUMBENT    COMPANION    AN"    PLACED    HIS 
HAND   ON   THE  LEVER. — P.  42. 

Ralph  of  the  Roundhouse. 


RALPH    OF    THE 
ROUNDHOUSE 


OK 


BOUND     TO     BECOME    A 
RAILROAD    MAN 


BY 

ALLEN    CHAPMAN 


NEW  YORK 
GROSSET   &    DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 

Made  in  the  United  States  of  America 


Copyright,  VMC,  by 
THE    MERSHON    COMPANY 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

I. 

Th?  Daylight  Express       . 

I 

II. 

Waking  Up 

IO 

III. 

A  Lost  Ball 

19 

IV. 

Ike  Slump's  Dinner  Pail    . 

28 

V. 

Opportunity          ...... 

38 

VI. 

The  Master  Mechanic 

49 

VII. 

At  the  Roundhouse    .... 

58 

vm. 

TiTE  Old  Factory         .... 

66 

IX. 

An  Unexpected  Guest         .        . 

73 

X. 

Th5  Mysterious  Letter      .        .        . 

82 

XI. 

On  l>vrv 

90 

XII. 

Ike  Slump's  Revenge  .... 

100 

.  XIII. 

Making  His  Way         .... 

108 

XIV. 

Ralph  Fairbanks'  Request 

117 

XV. 

"Van" 

,     124 

XVI. 

Face  to  Face        

-     131 

xvn. 

The  Battle  by  the  Tfacks       .        . 

•     137 

XVIII. 

A  Name  to  Conjure  .';\ 

■     147 

XIX. 

Ike  Slump's  Friends    .... 

iii 

*55 

iv 

CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

PAGE 

XX. 

The  Hide-Out                                . 

164 

XXI. 

A  Free  Ride         .... 

172 

XXII. 

Behind  Time           .... 

179 

XXIII. 

Bardon,  the  Inspector 

185 

XXIV. 

A  New  Enemy       .... 

192 

XXV. 

Diamond  Cut  Diamond 

200 

XXVI. 

A  Roving  Commission           .        , 

210 

XXVII. 

Recalled  to  Life 

217 

XXVIII. 

Mystery         .... 

225 

XXIX. 

A  Rival  Railroad       .        .        , 

232 

XXX. 

The  Right  of  Way 

239 

XXXI. 

A  Remarkable  Confession 

245 

XXXII. 

Found                                     , 

25' 

XXXIII. 

Ike  Slump's  Raft         .        . 

256 

XXXIV. 

Victory          

.     263 

XXXV. 

Conclusion    .       .       •       « 

272 

RALPH     OF    THE 
ROUNDHOUSE 

CHAPTER  I 

THE    DAYLIGHT    EXPRESS 

The  Daylight  Express  rolled  up  to  the  depot  at 
Stanley  Junction,  on  time,  circling  past  the  repair 
shops,  freight  yard  and  roundhouse,  a  thing  of 
life  and  beauty. 

Stanley  Junction  had  become  a  wide-awake 
town  of  some  importance  since  the  shops  had  been 
moved  there,  and  when  a  second  line  took  it  in  as 
a  passing  point,  the  old  inhabitants  pronounced 
the  future  of  the  Junction  fu'dy  determined. 

Engine  No.  6,  with  its  headlight  shining  like  a 
piece  of  pure  crystal,  its  metal  trimmings  fur- 
bished up  bright  and  natty-looking,  seemed  to  un- 
derstand that  it  was  the  model  of  the  road,  and 
sailed  majestically  to  a  repose  that  had  some- 
thing of  dignity  and  grandeur  to  it. 

The  usual   crowd  that  kept  tab  on  arriving 


2  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

trains  lounged  on  the  platform,  and  watched  the 
various  passengers  alight. 

A  brisk,  bright-faced  young  fellow  glided  from 
their  midst,  cleared  an  obstructing  truck  with  a 
clever  spring,  stood  ready  to  greet  the  locomotive 
and  express  car  as  they  parted  company  from 
the  passenger  coaches,  and  ran  thirty  feet  along 
the  siding  to  where  the  freight-sheds  stood. 

He  appeared  to  know  everybody,  and  to  be  a 
general  favorite  with  every  one,  for  the  brakeman 
at  the  coach-end  air  brake  gave  him  a  cheery: 
"  Hi,  there,  kid ! "  gaunt  John  Griscom,  the 
engineer,  flung  him  a  grim  but  pleased  nod  of 
recognition,  and  the  fireman,  discovering  him, 
yelled  a  shrill:  "  All  aboard,  now!  " 

The  young  fellow  turned  to  face  the  latter  with 
a  whirl  and  struck  an  attitude,  as  if  entirely 
familiar  with  jolly  Sam  Cooper's  warnings. 

For  the  latter,  reaching  for  a  row  of  golden 
pippins  stowed  on  his  oil  shelf,  contributed  by 
some  bumpkin  admi/er  down  the  line,  seized  the 
biggest  and  poised  it  for  a  fling. 

"Here  she  goes,  Ralph  Fairbanks!"  he 
chuckled. 

"  Let  her  come!  "  cried  back  Ralph,  and — clip! 
he  cut  the  missile's  career  short  by  the  latest  ap- 
proved baseball  tactics. 

Ralph  pocketed  the  apple  with  a  gay  laugh,  and 


THE  DAYLIGHT  EXPRESS  3 

was  at  the  door  of  the  express  section  of  the  car 
as  it  slid  back  and  the  messenger's  face  appeared. 

The  agent  had  come  out  of  his  shed.  He 
glanced  over  an  iron  chest  and  some  crated  stuff 
shoved  forward  by  the  messenger,  and  then,  run- 
ning his  eye  over  the  bills  of  lading  handed  him 
by  the  latter,  said  briskly : 

"  You  will  not  be  needed  this  time,  Ralph." 

"  All  right,  Mr.  More." 

"  Nothing  but  some  transfer  freight  and  the 
bank  delivery — that's  my  special,  you  know.  Be 
around  for  the  5-.li,  though." 

"  Sure,"  nodded  Ralph  Fairbanks,  looking 
pleased  at  the  brisk  dismissal,  like  a  boy  on  hand 
for  work,  but,  that  failing,  with  abundant  other 
resources  at  hand  to  employ  and  enjoy  the  time. 

With  a  cheery  hail  to  the  baggage  master  as  he 
appeared  on  the  scene,  Ralph  rounded  the  cow- 
catcher, intent  on  a  short  cut  across  the  tracks. 
His  appearance  had  been  actuated  by  business 
reasons  strictly,  but,  business  not  materializing, 
he  was  quite  as  practical  and  eager  on  another 
tack. 

Ever  since  vacation  began,  three  weeks  pre- 
vious, Ralph  had  made  two  trips  daily  to  the 
depot,  on  hand  to  meet  the  arriving  10.15  an^ 
5.1 1  trains. 

This  had  been  at  the  solicitation  of  the  express 


4  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

agent.  Stanley  Junction  was  not  a  very  large 
receiving  point,  but  usually  there  were  daily 
several  packages  to  deliver.  When  these  were 
not  for  the  bank  or  business  houses  in  the  near 
center  of  the  town,  but  for  individuals,  the  agent 
employed  Ralph  to  deliver  them,  allowing  him  to 
retain  the  ten  cents  fee  for  charges. 

Sometimes  Ralph  picked  up  as  high  as  fifty 
cents  a  day,  the  average  was  about  half  that 
amount,  but  it  was  welcome  pocket  money.  Oc- 
casionally, too,  some  odd  job  for  waiting  passen- 
gers or  railroad  employes  would  come  up.  It 
gave  Ralph  spending  money  with  which  to  en- 
joy his  vacation,  and,  besides,  he  li-ked  the 
work. 

Especially  work  around  the  railroad.  What 
live  boy  in  Stanley  Junction  did  not — but  then 
Ralph,  as  the  express  agent  often  said,  "  took  to 
railroading  like  a  duck  to  water." 

It  was  a  natural  heritage.  Ralph's  father  had 
been  a  first-class,  all-around  railroad  man,  and  his 
son  felt  a  justifiable  pride  in  boasting  that  he  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  who  had  made  the  railroad  at 
Stanley  Junction  a  possibility. 

"  Home,  a  quick  bite  or  two,  and  then  for  the 
baseball  game,"  said  Ralph  briskly,  as  he  ran  his 
eye  across  the  network  of  rails,  and  beyond  them 
to  the  waving  tree  tops  and  the  village  green. 


THE  DAYLIGHT  EXPRESS  5 

Preparing  to  make  a  run  for  it,  Ralph  suddenly 
halted. 

A  grimed  repair  man,  tapping  the  wheels  of  the 
coaches,  just  then  jerked  back  his  hammer  with  a 
vivid : 

"Hi,  you!" 

Ralph  discerned  that  the  man  was  not  address- 
ing him,  for  his  eyes  were  staringly  fixed  under 
the  trucks. 

"Let  me  out!  "  sounded  a  muffled  voice. 

Ralph  was  interested,  as  there  struggled  from 
the  cindered  roadbed  an  erratic  form.  It  was 
that  of  a  boy  about  his  own  age.  He  judged  this 
from  the  dress  and  figure,  although  one  was 
tattered,  and  the  other  strained,  crippled  and  bent. 
The  face  was  a  criss-cross  streak  of  dust,  oil  and 
cinders. 

"  A  stowaway ! "  yelled  the  repair  man, 
excitedly  waving  his  hammer.  "Schmitt! 
Schmitt !  this  way !  " 

The  depot  officer  came  running  around  the  end 
of  the  train  at  the  call.  Ralph  had  eyes  only  for 
the  forlorn  figure  that  had  so  suddenly  come  into 
action  in  the  light  of  day. 

He  could  read  the  lad's  story  readily.  The  last 
run  of  No.  6  was  of  ten  miles.  There  was  no 
doubt  but  that  for  this  distance,  if  not  for  a 
greater  one,  the  stowaway  had  been  a  "  dead- 


6  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

head  "  passenger,  perilously  clinging  to  the  brace 
bars,  or  wedged  against  the  trucks  under  the 
middle  coach. 

The  dust  and  grime  must  have  half-blinded 
him,  the  roar  have  deafened,  for  he  staggered 
about  now  in  an  aimless,  distracted  way,  hobbling 
and  wincing  as  he  tried  to  get  his  cramped  mus- 
cles into  normal  play. 

"  What  you  doing?  "  roared  the  old  watchman, 
on  a  run,  and  waving  his  club  threateningly. 

"  I've  done  it !  "  muttered  the  boy  dolefully. 
He  kept  hobbling  about  to  get  his  tensioned 
nerves  unlimbered,  edging  away  from  the  ap- 
proaching watchman  as  fast  as  he  could. 

"  Show  me!  "  he  panted,  appealingly  to  Ralph, 

The  latter  understood  the  predicament  and 
wish.  He  moved  his  hand  very  meaningly,  and 
the  stowaway  seemed  to  comprehend,  for  he 
glided  to  where  a  heap  of  ties  barricaded  a  dead- 
end track.  Rubbing  the  blinding  dirt  from  his 
eyes,  he  cleared  the  heap,  dropped  on  the  other 
side,  and  ran  down  a  narrow  lane  bounded  on  one 
side  by  a  brick  wall  and  on  the  other  by  a  ten- 
foot  picket  fence. 

"  Third  one  in  a  week !  "  growled  the  watch- 
man. "  Got  to  stop !  Against  the  law,  and 
second  one  lost  a  foot !  " 

Ralph  moved  along,  crossed  four  tracks  and  a 


THE  DAYLIGHT  EXPRESS  7 

freight  train  blockaded,  and  kept  on  down  the 
straight  rails.  The  stowaway  had  passed  from 
his  mind.  Now,  glancing  toward  the  fence,  he 
saw  the  lad  limping  down  the  lane. 

The  stowaway  saw  him,  and  coming  to  a  halt 
grasped  two  of  the  fence  bars,  and  peered  and 
shouted  at  him. 

"  Want  me  ?  "  asked  Ralph,  approaching.  He 
saw  that  the  stowaway  was  in  bad  shape,  for  he 
clung  to  the  fence  as  if  it  rested  him.  He  had 
not  yet  gotten  all  the  cricks  out  of  his  bones. 

"  It  was  a  tough  job,"  muttered  the  boy.  "  It 
took  grit!    Say,  tell  me  something,  will  you?" 

Ralph  nodded.  The  boy  rubbed  the  knuckle  of 
one  hand  across  his  coat  to  wipe  off  the  blood  of 
an  abrasion,  and  groped  in  a  pocket. 

"  Where  is  that?  "  he  asked,  bringing  to  light 
an  envelope,  and  holding  it  slantingly  for  Ralph's 
inspection.     "  Can  you  tell  me?  " 

"  Why,"  said  Ralph,  with  a  start — "  let  me 
look  at  that !  " 

"  No,"  demurred  the  other  cautiously.  "  It's 
near  enough  to  read.    I  want  to  find  that  person." 

"  It's  my  name,"  said  Ralph,  quickly  and  with 
considerable  wonderment.     "  Give  it  to  me." 

"I  guess  not!"  snapped  the  stowaway.  "I 
don't  know  who  John  Fairbanks  is,  but  I  know 
enough  to  be  sure  you  ain't  him." 


8  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  No,  he  was  my  father.  Climb  over  the  fence. 
I  don't  quite  understand  this,  and  I  want  you  to 
explain." 

The  stowaway  sized  up  the  fence,  wincing  as 
he  lifted  one  foot,  and  then,  with  a  disgusted  ex- 
clamation, turned  abruptly  and  broke  into  a  run. 

Ralph  saw  that  the  cause  of  this  action  was 
the  watchman,  who  had  come  into  view  through  a 
doorway  in  the  brick  wall,  and  had  started  a  new 
pursuit  of  the  boy. 

He  was  a  husky,  clumsy  individual,  and  had 
counted  on  heading  off  or  creeping  unawares  on 
the  fugitive,  but  the  latter,  with  a  start,  soon  out- 
distanced him,  and  was  lost  to  Ralph's  view  where 
the  lane  broadened  out  into  the  railroad  scrap 
yards. 

Ralph  stood  undecided  for  a  minute  or  two, 
and  then  somewhat  reluctantly  resumed  his  way. 

"  He'll  find  us,  if  he's  got  that  letter  to  deliver," 
he  concluded.  "  I  wonder  what  it  can  be?  From 
somebody  who  doesn't  know  father  is  dead,  it 
seems." 

Ralph  neared  home  in  the  course  of  ten 
minutes,  to  save  time  crossing  lots  to  reach  by  its 
side  door  the  plain,  but  comfortable  looking, 
neatly  kept  cottage  that  had  been  his  shelter 
since  childhood. 

It  was  going  to  be  a  busy  day  with  him,  he  had 


THE  DAYLIGHT  EXPRESS  9 

planned,  and  he  flung  off  his  coat  with  a  business 
air  of  hurried  preparation  for  a  change  of  toilet. 

Ten  feet  from  the  door  through  which  he 
intended  to  bolt  as  usual  with  all  the  impetuosity 
of  a  real  flesh  and  blood  boy,  on  the  jump  every 
waking  minute  of  his  existence,  Ralph  came  to 
an  abrupt  halt. 

He  expected  to  find  his  mother  alone,  and  was 
ready  to  tell  her  about  the  stowaway  episode  and 
the  letter. 

But  voices  echoed  from  the  little  sitting  room, 
and  the  first  intelligible  words  his  ear  caught, 
spoken  in  a  gruff  snarl,  made  Ralph's  eyes  flash 
fire,  his  fists  clenched,  and  his  breath  came  quick. 

"  Very  well,  Widow  Fairbanks/'  fell  distinctly 
on  Ralph's  hearing,  "  what's  the  matter  with  that 
good-for-nothing  son  of  yours  going  to  work 
and  paying  the  honest  debts  of  the  family  ?  " 


CHAPTER  II 

WAKING     UP 

Ralph  recognized  that  strident  voice  at  once. 
It  belonged   to   Gasper   Farrington,   one  of  the 

^althiest  men  of  Stanley  Junction,  and  one  of 
the  meanest. 

Whenever  Ralph  had  met  the  man,  and  he  met 
him  often,  one  fact  had  been  vividly  impressed 
upon  his  mind.  Gasper  Farrington  had  a  natural 
antipathy  for  all  boys  in  general,  and  for  Ralph 
Fairbanks  in  particular. 

The  Criterion  Baseball  Club  was  a  feature  with 
juvenile  Stanley  Junction,  yet  they  had  many  a 
privilege  abrogated  through  the  influence  of  Far- 
rington. Fie  had  made  complaints  on  the  most 
trivial  pretexts,  winning  universal  disrespect  and 
hatred  from  the  younger  population. 

More  than  once  he  had  put  himself  out  to 
annoy  Ralph.  In  one  instance  the  latter  had 
Stood  for  the  rights  of  the  club  in  a  lawyer-like 
manner.  He  had  beaten  Farrington  and  the 
town  board  combined  on  technical  legal  grounds 
as  to  the  occaoancy  of  a  central  ball  field,  and 

10 


WAKING  UP  1\ 

Ralph's  feelings  towards  the  crabbed  old  capitalist 
had  then  settled  down  to  dislike,  mingled  with  a 
certain  silent  independence  that  nettled  Farring- 
ton  considerably. 

He  had  publicly  dubbed  Ralph  "  the  ringleader 
of  those  baseball  hoodlums,''  a  stricture  passed  up 
by  the  club  with  indifference. 

Ralph  never  set  his  eyes  on  Farrington  but  he 
was  reminded  of  his  father.  John  Fairbanks  had 
come  to  Stanley  Junction  before  the  Great 
Northern  was  even  thought  of.  He  had  thought 
of  it  first.  A  practical  railroad  man,  he  had  gone 
through  all  the  grades  of  promotion  of  an  Eastern 
railway  system,  and  had  become  a  division  super- 
intendent. 

He  had  some  money  when  he  came  to  Stanley 
Junction.  He  foresaw  that  the  town  would  one 
day  become  a  tactical  center  in  railroad  construc- 
tion, submitted  a  plan  to  some  capitalists,  and  was 
given  supervisory  work  along  the  line. 

His  minor  capital  investment  in  the  enterprise 
was  obscured  by  mightier  interests  later  on,  but 
before  he  died  it  was  generally  supposed  that  he 
held  quite  an  amount  of  the  bonds  of  the  railroad, 
mutually  with  Gasper  Farrington. 

It  was  a  surprise  to  his  widow,  and  to  friends 
generally  of  the  Fairbanks  family,  when,  after 
Vr.  Fairbanks'  death,  a  few  hundred  <Jo!lars  in 


12  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

the  bank  and  the  homestead,  with  a  twelve-hut* 
dred  dollar  mortgage  on  it  in  favor  of  Gasper 
Farrington,  were  found  to  comprise  the  total 
estate. 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  discovered  letters,  memoranda 
and  receipts  showing  that  her  deceased  husband 
and  Farrington  had  been  mutually  engaged  in 
several  business  enterprises,  but  they  were  vague 
and  fragmentary,  and,  after  ascertaining  froni 
her  the  extent  of  her  documentary  evidence,  Far- 
rington bluntly  declared  he  had  been  a  loser  by 
her  husband. 

He  professed  a  friendship  for  the  dead  rail- 
roader, however,  and  in  a  patronizing  way  offered 
to  help  the  widow  out  of  her  difficulties  by  taking 
the  homestead  off  her  hands  for  the  amount  of 
the  mortgage,  "  and  making  no  trouble." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  had  promptly  informed  him 
that  she  had  no  intention  of  selling  out,  and  for 
two  years,  until  the  present  time,  had  been  able  to 
meet  the  quarterly  interest  on  the  mortgage  when 
due. 

Gasper  Farrington  was  now  on  one  of  hi? 
periodical  visits  on  business  to  the  cottage,  but  as. 
right  at  the  home  threshold,  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  gentle,  loving-hearted  widow,  he  gave  ut- 
terance to  the  scathing  remark  still  burning  in  the 
listener's  ears,  a  boy  of  true  spirit,  Ralph's  soul 


WAKING   UP  13 

seemed  suddenly  to  expand  as  though  it  would 
^urst  with  indignation  and  excitement. 

Many  times  Ralph  had  asked  his  mother  con- 
cerning their  actual  business  relations  with  Gas- 
per Farrington,  but  she  had  put  him  off  with  the 
evasive  remark  that  he  was  "  too  young  to  un- 
derstand." 

But  now  he  seemed  to  understand.  The  spite- 
ful tone  of  the  crabbed  old  capitalist  implied  that 
he  indulged  in  the  present  malicious  outburst 
because  in  some  way  he  had  the  widow  in  his 
power. 

Ralph  took  an  instantaneous  step  forward,  but 
paused.  He  could  trust  his  mother  to  retain  her 
dignity  on  all  occasions,  and  he  recalled  her  fre- 
quent directions  to  him  to  never  act  on  an  angry 
impulse. 

Now  he  could  see  into  the  room.  His  mother 
rftood  by  her  sewing  basket,  a  slight  flush  of  in- 
dignation on  her  face. 

Farrington  squirmed  against  the  doorway, 
fumbling  his  cane,  and  puffing  and  purple  with 
violent  internal  commotion. 

"  Then  what's  the  matter  with  that  idle,  good- 
for-nothing  son  of  yours  going  to  work  and  pay- 
ing the  honest  debts  of  the  family!  "  he  stormily 
repeated. 

The  widow  looked  up.     Her  lips  fluttered,  but 


14  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

she  said  calmly :  "  Mr.  Farrington,  Ralph  is 
neither  idle  nor  good-for-nothing." 

"Huh!  aint!     What's  he  good  for?" 

The  widow's  face  became  momentarily  glori- 
fied, the  true  mother  love  shone  in  the  depths  of 
her  pure,  clear  eyes. 

"  He  is  the  best  son  a  mother  ever  had."  She 
spoke  with  a  tremor  that  made  Ralph  thrill,  and 
must  have  made  Farrington  squirm. 

u  He  is  affectionate,  obedient,  considerate. 
And  that  is  why  I  have  never  burdened  his  young 
shoulders  with  my  troubles." 

"It's  high  time,  then!  "  "snarled  Farrington — 
"  a  big,  overgrown  bumpkin !  Guess  he'll  shoul- 
der some  responsibility  soon,  or  some  one  else 
will,  or  you'll  all  be  without  a  shelter." 

Ralph  felt  a  sinking  at  the  heart  at  the  vague 
threat.  He  was  relieved,  however,  as  anxiously 
glancing  at  his  mother's  face  he  observed  that  she 
was  not  a  whit  disturbed  or  frightened. 

"  Mr.  Farrington,"  she  said,  "  Ralph  h-as  noth- 
ing to  do  with  our  business  affairs,  but  I  wish  to 
say  this :  I  am  satisfied  that  my  dead  husband  left 
means  we  have  never  been  able  to  trace.  It  lies 
between  your  conscience  and  yourself  to  say  how 
much  more  you  know  about  this  than  I  do.  I 
have  accepted  the  situation,  however,  and  with 
the  few  dollars  in  ready  money  he  left  me,  and 


WAKING   UP  19 

my  sewing-,  I  have  managed  to  so  far  give  Ralph 
a  fair  education.  He  has  well  deserved  the 
sacrifice.  He  has  been  foremost  in  every  athletic 
sport,  a  leader  and  of  good  influence  with  his 
mates,  and  was  the  best  scholar  at  the  school,  last 
term." 

"  Oho !  prize  pupil  in  the  three  R's !  "  sneered 
Farrington — "  Counts  high,  that  honor  does!  " 

"  It  is  a  step  upwards,  humble  though  it  be," 
retorted  Mrs.  Fairbanks  proudly.  "  If  he  does 
as  well  in  his  academic  career " 

"In  his  what?"  fairly  bellowed  Farrington. 
"Is  the  woman  crazy?  You  don't  mean  to  tell 
me,  madam,  that  you  have  any  such  wild  idea  in 
your  head  as  sending  him  to  college?  " 

"  I  certainly  have." 

"  Then  you'll  never  make  it — you'll  waste  your 
dollars,  and  bring  him  up  a  pampered  ingrate, 
and  he's  a  sneak  if  he  allows  his  old  mother  to  dig 
and  slave  her  fingers  off  for  his  worthless 
pleasure !  " 

A  faint  flush  crossed  the  widow's  face.  Ralph 
burst  the  bounds.  He  sprang  forward,  and  con- 
fronted the  astonished  magnate  so  abruptly  that 
in  the  confusion  of  the  moment,  Farrington 
dropped  his  cane. 

"Mr.  Farrington,"  said  Ralph,  striving  hard 
to  keep  control  of  himself,   "  my  mother  is  not 


16  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

old,  but  I  am — older  than  I  was  an  hour  ago,  1 
can  tell  you !  old  enough  to  understand  what  I 
never  knew  before,  and " 

"Hello!''  sniffed  Farrington,  "what's  this 
your  business?  " 

"  I  just  overheard  you  say  it  was  essentially  my 
business,"  answered  Ralph.  "  I  begin  to  think- 
so  myself.  At  all  events,  I'm  going  to  take  a 
hand  in  my  mother's  affairs  hereafter.  If  I  have 
hitherto  been  blind  to  the  real  facts,  it  was  be- 
cause I  had  the  best  mother  in  the  world,  and 
never  realized  the  big  sacrifice  she  was  making 
for  me." 

"Bah!" 

"  Mr.  Farrington,"  continued  Ralph,  seeming 
to  grow  two  inches  taller  under  the  influence  of 
some  new,  elevating  idea  suddenly  finding  lodg- 
ment in  his  mind,  "  as  a  person  fully  awakened  to 
his  own  general  worthlessness  and  idle,  good-for- 
nothing  character,  and  in  duty  bound  to  pay  the 
honest  debts  of  the  family — to  quote  your  own 
words — what  is  your  business  here?  " 

"My  business!"  gasped  Farrington,  "you, 
you — none  of  your  business !  Mrs.  Fairbanks," 
he  shouted,  waving  his  cane  and  almost  exploding 
with  rage,  "  I've  said  my  say,  and  I  shan't  stay 
here  to  be  insulted  by  a  pert  chit  of  a  boy.  You'd 
better  think  it  over!  I'll  give  you  five  hundred 


WAKING   UP  17 

dollars  to  surrender  the  house  and  get  out  of 
Stanley  Junction.  Decline  that,  and  fail  to  pay 
me  the  interest  clue  to-day,  and  I'll  close  down 
on  you — I'll  sell  you  out !  " 

"Can  he  do  it?"  whispered  Ralph,  in  an 
anxious  tone. 

"  No,  Ralph,''  said  his  mother.  "  Mr.  Far- 
rington,  I  believe  I  have  thirty  days  in  which  to 
pay  the  interest?  " 

"  It's  due  to-day." 

"  I  believe  I  have  thirty  days,"  went  on  the 
widow  quietly.  "  It  is  the  first  time  I  have  been 
delinquent.  I  have  even  now  within  twenty  dol- 
lars of  the  amount.  Before  the  thirty  days  are 
over  you  shall  have  your  money." 

"I'll  serve  you  legal  notice  before  night!" 
growled  Farrington — "  I  don't  wait  on  promises, 
I  don't!" 

There  were  hot  words  hovering  on  Ralph's  lips. 
It  would  do  him  good,  he  felt,  to  give  the  heart- 
less old  capitalist  a  piece  of  his  mind.  A  glance 
from  his  mother  checked  him. 

She  was  the  gracious,  courteous  lady  in  every 
respect  as  she  ushered  her  unpleasant  visitor  from 
the  house. 

Her  heart  was  full  in  more  ways  than  one  as 
she  returned  to  the  little  sitting  room.  A  pre- 
dominating  emotion    filled   her    thoughts.      She 


18  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

understood  Ralph's  mind  thoroughly,  and  realized 
that  circumstances  had,  as  he  had  himself  de- 
clared, "  awakened  him." 

She  had  intuitively  traced  in  his  manner  and 
words  a  change  from  careless,  boyish  impetuosity 
to  settled,  manly  resolution,  and  was  thankful  in 
her  heart  of  hearts. 

"  Ralph !  "  she  called  softly. 

But  Ralph  was  gone. 


CHAPTER  III" 

A    LOST    BALL 

Ralph  Fairbanks  had  "  woke  up,"  had  seen 
a  great  light,  had  formed  a  mighty  resolution  all 
in  a  minute,  and  was  off  like  a  flash. 

As  he  bolted  through  the  doorway  it  seemed  as 
if  wings  impelled  him. 

He  realized  what  a  good  mother  he  had,  and 
how  much  she  had  done  for  him. 

Following  that  was  one  overwhelming  con- 
clusion :  to  prove  how  he  appreciated  the  fact. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  as  he  hurried  along,  "  I'd  be  a 
sneak  to  let  my  mother  slave  while  I  went  sliding 
easy  through  life.  If  I've  done  it  so  far,  it  was 
because  I  never  guessed  there  wasn't  something 
left  from  father's  estate  to  support  us,  and  never 
stopped  to  think  that  there  mightn't  be.  She's 
hidden  everything  from  me,  in  her  kind,  good 
way.  Well,  I'll  pay  her  back.  I  see  the  nail  I'm 
to  hit  on  the  head,  and  I'll  drive  it  home  before 
I'm  twenty-four  hours  older !  " 

Gasper  Farrington  had  opened  a  gate  on  the 
highway  of  Ralph  Fairbanks'  tranquil  existence, 

19 


20  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

and,  though  he  never  meant  it,  had  aroused  the 
boy's  soul  to  a  sudden  conception  of  duty.  And 
Ralph  had  seen  the  path  beyond,  clear  and  dis- 
tinct. 

It  seemed  to  him  as  if  with  one  wave  of  his 
hand  he  had  swept  aside  all  the  fervid  dreams  of 
boyhood,  formed  a  resolution,  set  his  mark,  and 
was  started  in  that  very  minute  on  a  brand-new 
life. 

Ralph  did  not  slacken  his  gait  until  he  reached 
a  square  easily  identified  as  a  much  used  ball 
grounds. 

Over  in  one  corner  was  a  flat,  rambling  struc- 
ture. It  had  once  been  somebody's  home,  had 
fallen  into  decay  and  vacancy.  The  club  had 
rented  it  for  a  nominal  sum,  fixed  it  up  a  bit,  and 
this  was  headquarters. 

Over  the  door  hung  the  purple  pennant  of  the 
club,  bearing  in  its  center  a  broad,  large  "  C." 
In  the  doorway  sat  Ned  Talcott,  an  ambitious 
back-stop,  who  spent  most  of  his  time  about  the 
place,  never  tired  of  the  baseball  atmosphere. 

He  looked  curiously  at  Ralph's  flustered  ap- 
pearance, but  the  latter  nodded  silently,  passed 
inside,  and  then  called  out : 

"  Come  in  here.  Ned— I  want  to  see  you." 

Ned  was  by  his  side  in  a  jiffy.  An  enthusiast, 
he  fairly  worshiped  his  expert  whole-souled  cap- 


A   LOST   BALL  21 

tain,  and  counted  it  an  honor  to  do  anything  for 
him. 

"  None  of  the  crowd  here,  I  see,"  remarked 
Ralph.     "Got  your  uniform  yet,  Ned?" 

"  Why,  no,"  answered  Ned.  "  I've  got  the 
cloth  picked  out,  and  it's  all  right.  Father's 
away,  though,  and  as  we  won't  need  the  suits  for 
show  till  the  new  series  begin  next  week,  I  didn't 
hurry." 

"  We're  about  of  a  size,"  went  on  Ralph,  look- 
ing his  companion  over. 

"  And  resemblance  stops  right  there,  eh?" 
chuckled  Ned. 

"  I  was  thinking,"  pursued  Ralph  with  busi- 
ness-like terseness,  as  he  unfastened  the  door  of 
his  locker.  "  Maybe  we  could  strike  a  trade?  I 
want  to  sell." 

He  drew  out  his  baseball  uniform,  tastily  re- 
posing in  a  big  pasteboard  box  just  as  he  had 
brought  it  from  the  tailor  that  morning. 

"  I've  been  thinking  maybe  I  could  strike  a 
deal  with  some  one  to  take  this  off  my  hands,"  he 
added. 

"  Eh!  "  ejaculated  Ned,  in  a  bewildered  way. 

"  Yes,  you  see  it's  brand-new,  whole  outfit  com- 
plete, haven't  even  put  it  on  yet." 

"  You'll  look  nobby  in  it  when  you  do  have  it 
on!" 


22  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Ralph  said  nothing  on  this  score,  compressing 
his  lips  a  trifle. 

"  It  cost  me  eight  dollars,"  he  continued,  after 
a  moment's  silence. 

"  Yes,  I  know  that's  the  regular  price.'' 

"  It  fits  you,  or,  with  very  slight  alteration,  can 
be  made  to.  I  wish  you'd  try  it  on,  Ned,  and 
give  me  five  dollars  for  it." 

"  Why,  I  don't  understand,  Ralph  ?  "  faltered 
Ned,  completely  puzzled. 

Ralph  winced.  He  realized  that  there  would 
be  a  general  commotion  when  he  told  the  rest  of 
the  club  what  he  was  now  vaguely  intimating  to 
Ned  Talcott. 

Ralph  did  not  flatter  himself  a  particle  when 
he  comprehended  that  every  member  of  the  nine 
was  his  friend,  champion  and  admirer,  and  that 
a  general  protest  would  go  up  from  the  ranks 
when  he  announced  his  intentions. 

"Is  it  a  bargain?  "  he  asked,  smiling  quizzically 
at  Ned's  puzzled  face.  "  See  here,  I'd  better  out 
with  it.  I  shan't  need  the  uniform,  Ned,  because 
I've  got  to  resign  from  the  club." 

"Oh,  never!"  vociferated  Ned,  starting  back 
in  dismay.     "  Say,  now " 

"  Yes,  say  that  again,  Ralph  Fairbanks ! " 
broke  in  a  challenging  voice. 

Ralph  was  shaken  a  trifle  by  the  unexpected 


A   L0S7    BALL  23 

interruption.  His  lips  set  even  a  little  firmer, 
however,  as  he  turned  and  faced  his  trusty  first 
baseman.  Will  Cheever,  and  in  his  train  four 
other  members  of  the  club. 

"  It's  true,"  said  Ralph  seriously,  "  just  as  it  is 
sudden  and  sure.  I've  got  to  drop  athletics  as  a 
sport,  fellows — for  a  time,  anyhow — and  I've  got 
to  do  it  right  away." 

"  You're  dreaming!  "  scoffed  Cheever,  bustling 
up  in  his  inimitable,  push-ahead  way,  and  pulling 
Ralph  playfully  about.  "Resign?  Huh!  On 
the  last  test  game — with  the  pennant  almost  ours  ? 
Gag  him!" 

"  Why,"  drawled  a  tone  of  pathetic  alarm,  "  it 
would  be  rank  treachery,  you  know !  " 

"  Hello,  are  you  awake?  "  jeered  Will,  turning 
on  the  last  speaker. 

Ralph  looked  at  him  too,  and  through  some 
jvayward  perversity  of  his  nature  his  face  grew 
more  determined  than  ever.  His  eyes  flashed 
quickly,  and  he  regarded  the  speaker  with  dis- 
favor, but  he  kept  silence. 

"  You  won't  do  it,  you  know!  "  blundered  the 
newcomer,  making  his  way  forward.  "  It  would 
queer  the  whole  kit.  What  have  we  been  work- 
ing for?  To  get  the  bulge,  and  run  the  circuit. 
Why,  I've  just  counted  on  it!  " 

Grif   Farrington,   for   that  was   the   speaker's 


24  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

name,  expressed  the  intensesi"  sense  of  personal 
injury  as  he  spoke. 

He  was  the  nephew  of  Gasper  Farrington, 
although  he  did  not  resemble  his  uncle  in  any 
striking  particular  as  to  form  or  feature.  Both 
were  of  the  same  genus,  however,  for  the  crabbed 
capitalist  was  universally  designated  "  a  shark  " 
by  his  neighbors. 

Grif  was  a  fat,  overgrown  fellow,  with  big 
saucer  eyes  and  flabby  cheeks  and  chin.  "  Bull- 
head "  some  of  the  boys  had  dubbed  him.  But 
they  often  found  that  what  they  mistook  for 
stupidity  was  in  reality  indolence,  and  that  in  any- 
deal  where  his  own  selfish  concern  was  involved 
Grif  managed  to  come  out  the  winner. 

As  Ralph  did  not  speak,  Grif  grew  even  more 
voluble. 

"  I  say,  it  would  be  rank  treachery !  "  he  de- 
clared. "  And  a  shame  to  treat  a  club  so.  If  we 
lose  this  game  we're  ditched  for  only  scrub  home 
games.  Win  it,  and  we  are  the  champion  visit- 
ing club  all  over  the  county.  That's  what  we 
have  been  working  for.  Are  you  going  to  spoil 
it?  Haven't  I  put  up  like  a  man  when  the  club 
was  behind.  See  here,  Ralph  Fairbanks,  I'll 
give  you — I'll  make  it  five  dollars  if  you'll  keep 
in  for  just  this  afternoon's  game." 

"  Shut  up,  you  chump!  "  warned  Will  Cheever, 


A   LOST   BALL  25 

slipping"  between  the  boor  and  Ralph,  whose  color 
was  rising  dangerously  fast. 

Will  pushed  aside  Grif's  pocketbook,  linked  an 
arm  in  that  of  Ralph,  and  led  him  from  the  build- 
ing, winking  encouragingly  to  his  mates. 

He  came  back  to  the  group  in  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  but  alone. 

"Fixed  it?"  inquired  half  a  dozen  eager 
voices. 

"  Yes,  I've  fixed  it,"  said  Cheever,  though  none 
too  cordially.  "  He's  going  to  leave  us,  fellows, 
and  it's  too  bad !  He'll  play  the  game  this  after- 
noon, but  that's  the  last." 

"What's  up?"  put  in  Grif  Farrington,  in  his 
usual  coarsely  inquisitive  way. 

"  You  was  nearly  up — or  down !  "  snapped 
Cheever  tartly.  "  You  nearly  spoiled  things  for 
us.  Money  isn't  everything,  if  you  have  got  lots 
of  it,  and  haven't  the  sense  to  know  that  it's  an 
insult  to  offer  to  buy  what  Ralph  Fairbanks 
would  give  to  his  friends  for  nothing,  or  not  at 
all!" 

When  the  game  was  called  at  two  o'clock, 
Ralph  was  on  hand. 

He  was  the  object  of  more  than  ordinary  in- 
terest to  his  own  and  the  opposition  club  that 
afternoon.  The  word  had  gone  the  rounds  that 
he  had  practically  resigned  from  service,  and  the 


26  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

fact  caused  great  speculation.  His  nearest 
friends  detected  a  certain  serious  change  in  him 
that  puzzled  them.  They  knew  him  well  enough 
to  discern  that  something  of  unusual  weight  lay 
upon  his  mind. 

According  to  enthusiastic  little  Tom  Travers, 
Ralph  Fairbanks  was  "just  splendid!"  that 
afternoon.  Whatever  Ralph  had  on  his  mind,  he 
did  not  allow  it  to  interfere  with  the  work  on 
hand. 

Ralph  was  the  heaviest  batter  of  the  club,  and 
on  this  particular  occasion  he  conducted  him- 
self brilliantly,  and  the  pennant  was  the  property 
of  the  Criterions  long  before  the  fifth  inning  was 
completed.  The  club  was  in  ecstasies,  and  Grif 
Farrington,  who  had  money  and  time  for  spend- 
ing it,  wore  a  grin  of  placid  self-satisfaction  on 
his  flat,  fat  face. 

"Whoop!"  yelled  Will  Cheever,  as  the  ninth 
inning  went  out  in  a  blaze  of  baseball  glory. 

Will  posed  to  give  Ralph,  bat  in  hand,  a  royal 
*'  last  one."  It  was  Ralph's  farewell  to  the  be- 
loved diamond  field.  He  poised  the  bat  and 
caught  the  ball  with  a  masterly  stroke  that  had 
something  cannon-like  in  its  execution. 

Crack !  he  sent  it  flying  obliquely,  and  -felt  as 
if  with  that  final  stroke  be  had  iriven  baseball 
with  all  its  lovely  attributes  clear  ■>'..'£  of  his  life. 


A   LOST   BALL  27 

Smash !  the  ball  grazed  the  high  brick  wall 
around  the  old  unused  factory  to  the  left,  struck 
an  upper  window,  shattered  a  pane  to  atoms,  and 
disappeared. 

"Lost  ball!"  jeered  little  Tom  Travers. 

No  one  went  after  it.  The  fence  surrounding 
the  factory  bore  two  signs  that  deterred — one  was 
"  Trespassers  Will  Be  Prosecuted,"  and  the  other 
announced  that  it  was  "  For  Rent,  by  the  owner, 
Gasper  Farrington." 

Ralph  made  a  grimace,  and  a  mental  note  of 
later  mending  the  breakage  for  which  he  was 
responsible. 

Will  Cheever  caught  him  up  as  he  was  heading 
for  home. 

"  See  here,  Ralph,"  he  remarked,  "  if  you 
wasn't  so  abominably  close-mouthed " 

"About  what?"  challenged  Ralph,  pleasantly 
serious.  "  Why,  there's  no  mystery  about  my 
resigning.     I  had  to  do  it." 

"Why?" 

"  I've  got  to  go  to  work.  My  mother  needs 
the  money,  and  I'm  old  enough." 

"  What  you  going  to  work  at?  "  inquired  Will, 
with  real  interest. 

"  Railroading, — if  I  can  get  it  to  do." 


CHAPTER  IV 

IKE  SLUMP'S    DINNER    PAIL 

Ralph  hurried  home.  His  mother  had  gone 
temporarily  to  some  neighbors,  he  judged,  for  the 
house  was  open,  and  the  midday  lunch  he  had 
purposely  avoided  was  still  spread  on  the  table. 

He  ate  with  a  zest,  but  in  a  hurry.  His  mind 
was  working  actively,  and  he  hoped  to  accom- 
plish results  before  he  had  an  interview  with  his 
mother,  and  was  glad  when  he  got  away  from  the 
house  again  without  meeting  her. 

Ralph  went  down  to  the  depot.  He  was  not  in 
a  communicative  mood,  and  did  not  exchange 
greetings  with  many  friends  there.  When  the 
5. 1 1  train  came  in  there  were  two  packages  to 
deliver.  He  attended  to  these  promptly,  and  was 
back  at  the  express  shed  just  as  the  agent  was 
closing  up  for  the  day. 

"All  square,  Fairbanks?"  he  inquired,  as 
Ralph  handed  him  the  receipt  book. 

"Yes."  nodded  Ralph.  "They  paid  me.  I 
want  to  thank  you  for  ail  the  little  jobs  you  have 
thrown  in  my  way,  Mr.  More.     It  has  helped  me 

28 


IKE   SLUMP'S   DINNER    PAIL  29 

through  wonderfully.  You  haven't  anything 
permanent  you  could  fit  me  into,  have  you?  " 

"Eh?"  ejaculated  the  agent,  with  a  critical 
stare  at  Ralph.  "  Why,  no.  Looking  for  a 
regular  job,  Fairbanks?  " 

"  I've  got  to,"  answered  Ralph. 

"Railroading?" 

"  Any  branch  of  it." 

"For  steady?" 

"  Yes,  I  think  it's  my  line." 

"  I  think  so,  too,"  nodded  the  agent  decisively, 
*  You  haven't  made  loaf  and  play  of  what  little 
you've  done  for  me.  There's  no  show  here, 
though.  I  get  only  forty-five  dollars  a  month, 
and  have  to  help  with  the  freight  at  that,  but  if 
you  are  headed  for  the  presidency " 

Ralph  smiled. 

"  Start  in  the  right  way,  and  that  is  at  the 
bottom  of  the  ladder.  You  don't  want  office 
work?" 

"  That  would  take  me  to  general  headquarters 
at  Springfield,"  demurred  Ralph,  "  and  I  don't 
want  to  leave  mother  alone — just  yet." 

"  I  see.  There's  nothing  at  the  shops  down  at 
Acton,  where  you  could  go  and  come  home  every 
day,  except  a  trade,  and  you're  not  the  boy  to 
stop  at  master  mechanic." 

"  Oh,  come  now !  Mr.  More." 


80  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  You  can't  look  too  far  ahead',"  declared  the 
agent  sapiently.  "  Dropping  jollying,  though, 
we  narrow  down  to  real  service.  There's  your 
Starting  point,  my  boy,  plain,  sure  and  simple,  and 
don't  you  forget  it — and  don't  you  miss  it!  " 

He  extended  his  finger  down  the  rails. 

:'  The  roundhouse?  "  said  Ralph,  following  his 
indication. 

"  The  roundhouse,  Fairbanks,  the  first  step, 
and  I  never  knew  a  genuine,  all-around  railroad 
man  who  didn't  make  his  start  in  the  business  in 
the  oil  bins." 

"  What  is  the  main  qualification  to  recommend 
a  fellow?  "  asked  Ralph. 

"  An  old  suit  of  clothes,  a  tough  hide,  and  lots 
of  grit." 

"  I  think,  then,  I  can  come  well  indorsed," 
laughed  Ralph.     "  Whom  do  I  see  ?  " 

"  Usually  the  ambitious  father  of  a  future  rail- 
way president  goes  through  the  regular  applica- 
tion course  at  headquarters,"  explained  the  agent 
"  but  if  you  want  quick  action " 

"  I  do." 

"  See  the  foreman." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"  Tim  Forgan.  If  he  takes  you  on,  and  you 
get  to  be  a  fixture,  the  application  route  is  handy 
later,  when  you  think  you  deserve  promotion." 


IKE   SLUMP'S   DINNER    PAIL  SI 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Ralph,  and  walked  away 
thoughtfully. 

He  had  five  dollars  in  his  pocket  that  Ned  Tal 
cott  had  given  him  for  his  uniform,  and  eighty 
cents  in  loose  change.  This  made  Ralph  feel 
quite  free  and  easy.  He  had  not  a  single  disturb- 
ing thought  on  his  mind  at  present  except  the 
broken  window  at  the  old  factory,  and  that  was 
easily  fixed  up,  he  told  himself. 

So,  in  quite  an  elevated  frame  of  mind,  Ralph 
walked  down  the  rails.  The  roundhouse  was  his 
objective  point.  Ralph  had  been  there  many  a 
time  before,  but  only  as  a  visitor. 

Now  he  was  interested  in  a  practical  way.  and 
the  oil  sheds,  dog  house,  turntable  and  other 
adjuncts  of  this  favored  center  of  activity  fas- 
cinated him  more  tbttc  ever. 

He  had  a  nodding  acquaintance  with  some  of 
thp  Bremen  and  engineers,  but  was  not  fortunate 
enough  to  meet  any  of  these  on  the  present 
occasion. 

Ralph  went  along  the  hard-beaten  cinder  path, 
worn  by  many  feet,  that  circled  the  one-story 
structure  which  sheltered  the  locomotives,  and 
glancing  through  the  high-up  open  windows 
caught  the  railroad  flavor  more  and  more  as  he 
viewed  the  stalls  holding  this  and  that  puffing, 
dying  or  stone-dead  "  iron  horse." 


32  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Over  the  sill  of  one  of  these  windows  there 
suddenly  protruded  a  black,  greasy  hand  holding 
a  square  dinner  pail.  It  came  out  directly  over 
Ralph's  head,  and  halted  him. 

Its  owner  sounded  a  low  whistle  and  a  return 
whistle  quite  as  low  and  suspicious  echoed  behind 
Ralph. 

"  Take  it,  and  hustle!  "  followed  from  beyond 
the  window,  and  almost  mechanically  Ralph  Fair- 
banks put  up  his  hand,  the  handle  of  the  pail 
slipped  into  his  fingers,  and  he  uttered  an  ejacula- 
tion. 

For  the  pail  was  as  heavy  as  if  loaded  with 
gold,  and  bore  him  quite  doubled  down  before  he 
got  his  equilibrium.  Then  it  was  jerked  from  his 
grasp,  and  a  gruff  voice  said : 

"Hands  off!     What  you  meddling  for?" 

"Meddling?"  retorted  Ralph  abruptly,  and 
looked  the  speaker  over  with  suspicion.  He  was 
a  ragged,  unkempt  man  of  about  forty,  with  a 
swarthy,  vicious  face.  "  I  was  told  to  take  it, 
wasn't  I?" 

"Hullo!  what's  up?  Who  are  you?  Oh! 
Fairbanks." 

The  speaker  was  the  person  who  had  passed  out 
the  dinner  pail,  and  who,  apparently  aroused  by 
the  colloquy  outside,  had  clambered  to  a  bench, 
and  now  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  window. 


IKE   SLUMP'S   DINNER    PAIL  33 

He  looked  startled  at  first,  then  directed  a 
quick,  meaning  glance  at  the  tramp,  who  dis- 
appeared as  if  by  magic.  The  boy  overhead 
scowled  darkly  at  Ralph,  and  then  thought  better 
of  it,  and  tried  to  appear  friendly. 

"  I  give  the  poor  beggar  what's  left  of  my  din- 
ner for  carrying  my  pail  home,  so  I  won't  be 
bothered  with  it,"  he  said. 

The  speaker's  face  showed  he  did  not  at  all 
believe  that  keen-witted  Ralph  Fairbanks  accepted 
this  gauzy  explanation,  after  hefting  that  pail, 
but  Ralph  said  nothing. 

"What's  up,  Fairbanks?"  inquired  his  shock- 
headed  interlocutor  at  the  window — "  sort  of  in- 
specting things  ?  " 

Ralph,  preparing  to  pass  on,  nodded  silently. 

"  Trying  to  break  in,  eh?  " 

"  Is  there  any  chance?  "  inquired  Ralph,  paus- 
ing slightly. 

Ike  Slump  laughed  boisterously.  He  was  a 
year  or  two  older  than  Ralph,  but  had  a  face 
prematurely  developed  with  cunning  and  tobacco, 
and  looked  twenty-five. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  if  you're  anxious  to  get 
boiled,  blistered,  oiled  and  blinded  twenty  times  a 
day,  be  kicked  from  platform  to  pit,  and  paid  just 
about  enough  to  buy  arnica  and  sticking  plaster!  " 

"  Bad  as  that?  "  interrogated  Ralph  dubiously. 


34  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"For  a  fact!" 

"  Oh,  well — there's  something-  beyond." 

"  Beyond  what?  " 

''  When  you  get  out  of  the  oil  and  cinders,  and 
up  into  the  sand  and  steam." 

"  Huh !  lots  of  chance.  I've  been  here  six 
months,  and  I  haven't  had  a  smell  of  firing  yet — 
even  second  best." 

Ralph  again  nodded,  and  again  started  on.  He 
did  not  care  to  have  anything  to  do  with  Ike 
Slump.  The  latter  belonged  to  the  hoodlum 
gang  of  Stanley  Junction,  and  whenever  his 
crowd  had  met  the  better  juvenile  element,  there 
had  always  been  trouble. 

Ike's  ferret  face  worked  queerly  as  he  noted 
Ralph's  departure.  He  seemed  struggling  with 
uneasy  emotions,  as  if  one  or  two  troublesome 
thoughts  bothered  him. 

"Hold  on,  Fairbanks!"  he  called,  edging 
farther  over  the  sill.  "  I  say,  that  dinner 
pail " 

"  Oh,  I'm  not  interested  in  your  dinner  pail.'" 
observed  Ralph. 

"  Course  not — what  is  there  to  be  curious 
about?  I  say,  though,  was  you  in  earnest  about 
getting  a  job  here?  " 

"  I  must  get  work  somewhere." 

"And  it  will  be  railroading?" 


IKE   SLUMP'S   DINNER   PAIL  35 

"  If  I  can  make  it." 

"  You're  the  kind  that  wins,"  acknowledged 
Ike.     "  Got  any  coin,  now  ?  " 

"  Suppose  I  have?  " 

Ike's  weazel-like  eyes  glowed. 

"  Suppose  you  have?  Then  I  can  steer  you  up 
against  a  real  investment  of  the  A  I  class." 

Ralph  looked  quizzically  incredulous. 

"  I  can,"  persisted  Ike  Slump.  "  You  want  to 
get  in  here  to  work,  don't  you?  Well,  you  can't 
make  it." 

"  Why  can't  I  ?  " 

"  Without  my  help — I  can  give  you  that  help. 
You  give  me  a  dollar,  and  I'll  give  you  a  tip '" 

"What  kind  of  a  tip?" 

"  About  a  vacancy." 

"  Is  there  going  to  be  one?  '" 

"  There  is,  I  can  tell  you  when,  and  I  can  give 
you  first  chance  on  the  game,  and  deliver  the 
goods." 

Ralph  was  interested. 

"  If  you  are  telling  the  truth,"  he  said  finally, 
V  I'd  risk  half  a  dollar." 

Ralph  took  out  the  coin.  A  sight  of  it  settled 
the  matter  for  Ike. 

He  reached  for  it  eagerly. 

"  All  right,  I'm  the  vacancy.  You  watch 
around,  for  soon  as  I  get  my  pay  to-morrow  I'm 


36  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

going-  to  bolt.  It's  confidential,  though,  Fair- 
banks— you'll  remember  that  ?  " 

"  Oh,  sure." 

Ike  Slump  was  a  notorious  liar,  but  Ralph  be- 
lieved him  in  the  present  instance.  Anyhow,  he 
felt  he  was  making  progress.  He  planned  to  be 
on  hand  the  next  day,  prepared  for  the  expected 
vacancy,  and  incidentally  wondered  what  had 
made  Ike  Slump's  dinner  pail  so  tremendously 
heavy,  and,  also,  as  to  the  identity  of  the  trampish 
individual  who  had  disappeared  with  it  so 
abruptly. 

He  wandered  about  half  a  mile  down  the  tiacks 
where  they  widened  out  from  the  main  line  into 
the  freight  yards,  and  selected  a  pile  of  ties  re- 
mote from  any  present  activity  in  the  neighbor- 
hood to  have  a  quiet  think. 

He  determined  to  see  the  foreman,  Tim  Forgan, 
the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  and  discover  what 
the  outlook  was  in  general.  If  absolutely  turned 
down,  he  would  await  the  announced  resignation 
of  Mr.  Ike  Slump. 

Ralph  understood  that  a  green  engine  wiper  in 
the  roundhouse  was  paid  six  dollars  a  week  to 
commence  on  if  a  boy,  nine  dollars  if  a  man.  He 
picked  up  a  torn  freight  ticket  drifting  by  in  the 
breeze,  and  fell  to  figuring  industriously,  and  the 
result  was  pleasant  and  reassuring. 


IKE   SLUMP'S   DINNER    PAIL  37 

Ralph  looked  up,  as  with  prodigious  whistlings 
a  single  locomotive  came  tearing  down  the  rails, 
took  the  outer  main  track,  and  was  lost  to  sight. 

Not  two  minutes  later  a  second  described  the 
same  maneuver.  Ralph  arose,  wondering  some- 
what. 

Looking  down  the  rails  towards  the  depot,  he 
noticed  unusual  activity  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
roundhouse. 

A  good  many  hands  were  gathered  at  the  turn- 
table, as  if  some  excitement  was  up.  Then  a 
third  engine  came  down  the  rails  rapidly,  and 
Ralph  noticed  that  the  main  "  out  "  signal  was 
turned  to  "  clear  tracks." 

As  the  third  locomotive  passed  him,  he  noticed 
that  the  engineer  strained  his  sight  ahead  in  a 
tensioned  way,  and  the  fireman  piled  in  the  coal 
for  the  fullest  pressure  head  of  steam. 

Ralph  made  a  start  for  home,  reached  a  cross- 
road, and  was  turning  down  it  when  a  new  shrill 
series  of  whistles  directed  his  attention  to  loco- 
motive No.  4.  It  came  down  the  rails  in  the 
same  remarkable  and  reckless  manner  as  its  recent 
predecessors. 

"  Something's  up !  "  decided  Ralph,  with  an 
uncontrollable  thrill  of  interest  and  excitement— 
"I  wonder  what?" 


CHAPTER  V 

OPPORTUNITY 

The  boy  turned  and  ran  back  to  the  culvert 
crossing  just  as  the  fourth  locomotive  whizzed 
past  the  spot. 

He  waved  his  hand  and  yelled  out  an  inquiry 
as  to  what  was  up,  but  cab  and  tender  flashed  by 
in  a  sheet  of  steam  and  smoke. 

He  recognized  the  engineer,  however.  It  was 
gruff  old  John  Griscom,  and  in  the  momentary 
glimpse  Ralph  had  of  his  hard,  rugged  face  he 
looked  grimmer  than  ever. 

Ralph  marveled  at  his  presence  here,  for  Gris' 
com  had  the  crack  run  of  the  road,  the  10.15, 
driven  by  the  biggest  twelve-wheeler  on  the  line, 
and  was  something  of  an  industrial  aristocrat. 
The  locomotive  he  now  propelled  was  a  third-class 
freight  engine,  and  had  no  fireman  on  the  present 
occasion  so  far  as  could  be  seen. 

Ralph  knew  enough  about  runs,  specials  and 
extras,  to  at  once  comprehend  that  something 
rery  unusual  had  happened,  or  was  happening. 

38 


OPPORTUNITY  3g 

Whatever  it  was,  extreme  urgency  had  driven 
out  this  last  locomotive,  for  Griscom  wore  his  off- 
duty  suit,  and  it  was  plain  to  be  seen  had  not  had 
time  to  change  it. 

Ralph's  eyes  blankly  followed  the  locomotive, 
Then  he  started  after  it.  Five  hundred  feet  down 
the  rails,  a  detour  of  a  gravel  pit  sent  the  tracks 
rounding  to  a  stretch,  below  which,  in  a  clump  of 
greenery,  half  a  dozen  of  the  firemen  and  en- 
gineers of  the  road  had  their  homes. 

With  a  jangle  and  a  shiver  the  old  heap  of  junk 
known  as  99  came  to  a  stop.  Then  its  whistle 
began  a  series  of  tootings  so  shrill  and  piercing 
that  the  effect  was  fairly  ear-splitting. 

Ralph  recognized  that  they  were  telegraphic  in 
their  import.  Very  often,  he  knew,  locomotives 
would  sound  a  note  or  two,  slow  up  just  here  to 
take  hands  down  to  the  roundhouse,  but  old 
Griscom  seemed  not  only  calling  some  one,  but 
calling  fiercely  and  urgently,  and  adding  a  whole 
volume  of  alarm  warnings. 

Ralph  kept  on  down  the  track  and  doubled  his 
pace,  determined  now  to  overtake  the  locomotive 
and  learn  the  cause  of  all  this  rush  and  commo- 
tion. 

As  he  neared  99,  he  discerned  that  the  veteran 
engineer  was  hustling  tremendously.  Usually 
impassive  and  exact  when  in  charge  of  the  superb 


40  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

10.15,  he  was  now  a  picture  of  almost  irritable 
activity. 

Having  thrown  off  his  coat,  he  fired  in  some 
coal,  impatiently  gave  the  whistle  a  further  exer- 
cise, and  leaning  from  the  cab  window  yelled 
lustily  towards  the  group  of  houses  beyond  the 
embankment. 

Just  as  Ralph  reached  the  end  of  the  lender,  he 
saw  emerging  from  the  shaded  path  down  the  em- 
bankment  a  girl  of  twelve.  He  recognized  her  aa 
the  daughter  of  jolly  Sam  Cooper,  the  fireman. 

She  was  breathless  and  pale,  and  she  waved  her 
hand  up  to  the  impatient  engineer  with  an 
agitated : 

"  Was  you  calling  pa,  Mr.  Griscom?  " 

"  Was  I  calling  him !  "  growled  the  gruff  old 
bear — "  did  he  think  I  was  piping  for  the  birds?  " 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Griscom,  he  can't  come,  he " 

"  He's  got  to  come !  It's  life  and  death ! 
Couldn't  he  tell  it,  when  he  saw  me  on  this  crazy 
old  wreck,  and  shoving  up  the  gauge  to  bursting 
point.     Don't  wait  a  second — he's  got  to  come !  " 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Griscom,  he's  in  bed,  crippled.  Ran 
into  a  scythe  in  the  garden,  and  his  ankle  is  cut 
terrible.  Mother's  worried  to  death,  and  he 
won't  be  able  to  take  the  regular  run  for  days  and 
days." 

Old  Griscom  stormed  like  a  pirate.     He  glared 


OPPORTUNITY  4| 

down  the  tracks  towards  the  roundhouse.  Then 
he  shouted  ferociously : 

"  Tell  Evans  to  come,  then — not  a  minute  to 
lose !  " 

"  Mr.  Evans  has  gone  for  the  doctor,  for  pa," 
answered  the  girl. 

Griscom  nearly  had  a  fit.  He  flung  his  big 
arms  around  as  if  he  wanted  to  smash  something. 
He  glanced  at  his  watch,  and  slapped  his  hand  on 
the  lever  with  an  angry  yell. 

"  Can't  go  back  for  an  extra !  "  Ralph  heard 
him  shout,  "  and  what  '11  I  do?  Rot  the  road! 
I'll  try  it  alone,  but " 

He  gave  the  lever  a  jerk,  the  wheels  started  up. 
Ralph  thought  he  understood  the  situation.  He 
sprang  to  the  step. 

"  Get  out — no  junketing  here — life  and  death 
> — Hello,  Fairbanks !  " 

"  Mr.  Griscom,"  spoke  Ralph,  "  what's  the 
trouble?" 

"  Trouble — the  shops  at  Acton  are  on  fire,  not 
a  locomotive  within  ten  miles,  and  all  the  transfer 
freight  hemmed  in." 

Ralph  felt  a  thrill  of  interest  and  excitement. 

"  Is  that  so?  "  he  breathed.  "  I  see — they  need 
help?" 

"  I  guess  so,  and  quick.    Out  of  the  way !  " 

The  old  engineer  hustled  about  the  cab,  set  the 


42  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

machinery  whizzing  at  top-notch  speed,  and 
seized  the  fire  shovel. 

"  Mr.  Griscom,"  cried  Ralpli,  catching  on  by  a 
sort  of  inspiration,  "  let  me — let  me  do  that." 

"  Eh— what " 

Ralph  drew  the  shovel  from  his  unresisting 
hands. 

"  You  can't  do  both,"  he  insisted — "  you  can't 
drive  and  fire.     Just  tell  me  what  to  do." 

"  Can  you  shovel  coal?  " 

"  I  can  try." 

"  Here,  not  that  way — "  as  Ralph  opened  the 
furnace  door  in  a  clumsy  manner.  "  That's  it. 
more — hustle,  kid !  That  '11  do.  No  talking, 
now." 

Griscom  sprang  to  the  cushion.  For  twc 
minutes  he  was  absorbed,  looking  ahead,  timing 
himself,  reading  the  gauge,  in  a  fume  and  sweat, 
like  a  trained  greyhound  eager  to  strike  the  home 
stretch. 

Suddenly  he  ran  his  head  and  shoulders  far 
past  the  window  sill,  and  uttered  one  of  his  char- 
acteristic alarm  yells. 

"  Rot  the  road !  "  he  shouted.     "  No  flags !  " 

He  reached  over  for  the  tool  box,  and  slammed 
up  its  cover  -'•?-  pavrec!  aver  a  dozer-  or  more 
soiled  Sags  of  different  colors,  snatched  up  two, 
shook   out   their   white   folds,   and   then,   as  the 


OPPORTUNITY  43 

speeding  engine  nearly  jumped  the  track  at  a 
switch,  flopped  back  the  lever. 

"  Set  them,"  he  ordered. 

In  his  absorbed  excitement  he  seemed  to  forget 
the  dangerous  mission  he  was  setting  for  a  novice, 
Ralph  did  not  ask  a  question.  He  threw  in  some 
coal,  then  taking  the  flags  in  one  hand,  he  crept 
out  through  the  forward  window. 

It  was  his  first  experience  in  that  line.  The 
swishing  wind,  the  teeter-like  swaying  of  the 
engine,  the  driving  hail  of  cinders,  all  combined 
to  daunt  and  confuse  him,  but  he  clung  to  the 
engine  rail,  gained  the  pilot,  set  one  flag  in  its 
socket,  then  with  a  stooping  swing  the  other,  and 
felt  his  way  back  to  the  cab,  flushed  with  satisfac- 
tion, but  glad  to  feel  a  safe  footing  once  more. 

Griscom  glanced  at  him  out  of  the  corner  of  his 
eye,  with  a  growl  that  might  mean  approbation 
or  anything  else. 

"  Fire  her  up,"  he  ordered. 

Ralph  had  little  leisure  during  the  twenty  miles 
run  that  followed — he  did  not  know  till  after- 
wards that  they  covered  it  in  exactly  thirty 
minutes,  a  remarkable  record  for  old  99. 

As  they  whirled  by  stations  he  noticed  a  crowd 
at  each.  As  they  rounded  the  last  timbered  curve 
to  the  south  his  glance  took  in  a  startling  sight  just 
ahead  of  them. 


14  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

On  a  lower  level  stood  the  car  shops.  He 
could  see  the  site  in  the  near  distance  like  a  per 
son  looking  down  from  an  observation  tower. 

The  setting  sun  made  the  west  a  glow  of  red. 
Against  it  were  set  the  shop  yards  in  a  yellow 
dazzle  of  flame. 

A  broad  sheet  of  fire  ran  in  and  out  from  build- 
ing to  building,  fanned  by  the  fierce  breeze.  On 
twenty  different  tracks,  winding  about  among  the 
structures,  were  as  many  freight  trains. 

This  was  a  general  transfer  point  to  a  belt  line 
tapping  to  the  south.  Two  of  the  engines  from 
Stanley  Junction  were  now  rushing  towards  the 
outer  trains  which  the  flames  had  not  yet  reached, 
to  haul  them  out  of  the  way  of  the  fire.  No.  99 
whizzed  towards  this  network  of  rails,  hot  on  the 
heels  of  the  third  locomotive. 

The  general  scene  beggared  description. 
Crowds  were  rushing  from  the  residence  settle- 
ment near  by,  an  imperfect  fire  apparatus  was  at 
work,  and  railroad  hands  were  loading  trucks 
with  platform  freight  and  carting  it  to  the  nearest 
unexposed  space. 

Ralph  was  panting  and  in  a  reek  from  his 
unusual  exertions,  but  not  a  bit  tired.  Griscom 
directed  a  critical  glance  at  him,  caught  the 
excited  and  determined  sparkle  in  his  eye,  and 
said  in  a  tone  of  satisfaction : 


OPPORTUNITY  45 

"  You'll  do — if  you  can  stand  it  out." 

"  Don't  get  anybody  else,  if  I  will  do,"  said 
Ralph  quickly.     "  I  like  it." 

Griscom  slowed  up,  shouted  to  a  switchman 
ahead,  using  his  hand  for  a  speaking  trumpet,  to 
set  the  rails  for  action.  He  took  advantage  of 
the  temporary  stop  to  rake  and  sift  the  furnace, 
put  things  in  trim  in  expert  fireman-like  order, 
and  turned  to  Ralph. 

"  Now  then,"  he  said,  "  your  work's  plain — 
just  keep  her  buzzing." 

A  yard  hand  jumped  to  the  pilot  with  a  wave 
of  his  arm.  Down  a  long  reach  of  tracks  they 
ran,  coupled  to  some  twenty  grain  cars,  backed, 
set  the  switch  for  a  safe  siding,  and  came  steam- 
ing forward  for  new  action. 

Little  old  99  seemed  at  times  ready  to  drop  to 
pieces,  but  she  stood  the  test  bravely,  braced, 
tugged  and  scolded  terribly  in  every  loose  point 
and  knuckle,  but  within  thirty  minutes  had  con- 
veyed over  a  hundred  cars  out  of  any  possible 
range  of  the  fire. 

Ralph,  at  a  momentary  cessation  of  operations, 
friped  the  grime  and  perspiration  from  his  baked 
race,  to  take  a  scan  of  the  fire-swept  area. 

A  railroad  official  had  come  up  to  the  engine, 
hailed  Griscom,  and  pointed  directly  into  the  heart 
of  the  flames  to  where,  hemmed  in  a  narrow  run- 


46  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

way  between  the  walls  of  two  smoking  buildings, 
were  four  freight  cars. 

"  They'll  be  gone  in  five  minutes,"  he  observed. 

"  I  can  reach  them  in  two,"  announced  Gris- 
com  tersely,  setting  his  hand  to  the  lever.  "  Get 
a  good  man  to  couple — our  share  won't  miss. 
Let  her  go  !  " 

A  brakeman,  winding  a  coat  around  his  head 
like  a  hood,  and  keeping  one  end  open,  sprang  to 
the  cowcatcher,  link  and  bar  ready. 

Ralph  shuddered  as  they  ran  into  the  mouth  of 
the  lane.  It  was  choked  with  smoke,  burning 
cinders  fell  in  showers  on  and  under  the  cab. 

"  Shove  in  the  coal — shove  in  the  coal ! "  roared 
Griscom,  eyes  ahead,  lever  under  a  tcnsioned 
control.  "Good  for  you!"  he  shouted  to  the 
nervy  brakeman  as  there  was  a  bump  and  a  snap. 
"  Reverse.     We've  made  it!  " 

A  sweep  of  flame  wreathed  the  pilot.  The  air 
was  suffocating.  Ralph  staggered  at  his  work. 
As  the  locomotive  reversed  and  drew  quickly  out 
of  that  dangerous  vortex  of  flame,  the  boy  noticed 
that  the  last  of  the  four  cars  was  blazing  at  the 
roof. 

'  Just  in  time,"  he  heard  old  Griscom  chuckle. 
"Hot?     Whew!" 

He  set  the  wheels  whirling  on  the  fast  back- 
ward spin,  and  stuck  his  head  out  of  the  window 


OPPORTUNITY  47 

to  shout  encouragingly  to  the  huddled,  smoking 
hero  on  the  pilot. 

They  were  passing  a  brick  building,  almost 
grazing  its  windows,  just  then.  Of  a  sudden  a 
curl  of  smoke  from  one  of  these  was  succeeded  by 
a  bursting  roar,  a  leap  of  flame,  and  Ralph  saw 
the  old  engineer  enveloped  in  a  blazing  cloud. 

An  explosion  had  blown  out  the  sash  directly 
in  his  face.  The  glass,  shivered  to  a  million  tiny 
pieces,  came  against  him  like  a  sheet  of  hail. 

Ralph  saw  him  waver  and  sprang  to  his  side. 
The  engineer's  face  was  cut  in  a  dozen  places, 
and  he  had  closed  his  eyes. 

"  Mr.  Griscom,"  cried  Ralph,  "  are  you  hurt 
much  ?  " 

"  Keep  her  going,"  muttered  the  old  hero 
hoarsely,  straightening  up,  "  only,  only — tell  me." 

"  You  can't  see  ?  "  breathed  Ralph. 

"  Do  as  I  tell  you,"  came  the  grim  order. 

"  Switch,"  said  Ralph,  in  strained,  subdued 
tones  as  they  passed  out  of  the  fire  belt,  ran  for- 
ward, uncoupled,  and  sent  the  four  cars  down  a 
safe  siding,  the  brakeman  and  a  crowd  running 
after  it  to  extinguish  the  burning  roof  of  one  of 
the  freights. 

Ralph  saw  Griscom  strain  his  sight  and  blink, 
and  shift  the  locomotive  down  a  V,  chen  :o  the 
next  rails  leading  in  among  the  burning  buildings. 


48  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

He  brought  the  panting"  little  worker  to  a  pause, 
asked  Ralph  to  draw  a  cup  of  water,  brushed  hi? 
face  with  hi/  hand,  and  breathed  heavily. 

"  Mr.  Gri-'com,"  said  Ralph,  "you  are  badly 
hurt!  *i;ou  can't  do  anything'  more,  for  there's 
only  one  car  left  on  the  last  track,  right  in  the 
nest  of  the  fire.  Let  me  get  somebody  to  help 
you  where  you  can  be  attended  to." 

He  placed  a  hand  pleadingly  on  the  engineer's 
arm.  Old  Griscom  shook  it  off  in  his  gruff  giant 
way. 

"What's  that?"  he  asked. 

He  turned  his  face  towards  the  fire.  Ralph 
looked  too,  in  sudden  askance.  A  crowd  surged 
towards  two  buildings,  nearly  consumed,  between 
which  lay  a  single  car.  The  firemen  who  had 
been  playing  a  hose  just  there  dropped  it,  running- 
for  their  lives. 

"  Get  back!  "  yelled  one  of  them,  as  he  passed 
the  engine,  "  or  you're  gone  up.  That's  a  powder 
car!     We  just  found  it  out,  and  it's  all  ablaze!  " 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE    MASTER    MECHANIC 

A  man  appearing  to  be  a  railway  official 
shouted  up  an  order  to  the  haggard  engineer  as  he 
rushed  by. 

"  Get  out  of  this — there's  twenty  tons  of  pow- 
der in  that  car !  " 

Griscom  dashed  his  hand  across  his  eyes.  He 
seemed  to  clear  them  partially,  and  strained  his 
gaze  ahead  and  took  in  the  meaning  of  the  scene, 
if  not  all  its  vivid  outlines,  and  muttered : 

"  If  that  stuff  goes  off,  the  whole  yards  are 
doomed." 

Ralph  hung  on  the  engineer's  words  and 
hovered  at  his  elbow. 

"  We  had  better  get  out  of  this,  Mr.  Griscom," 
he  suggested. 

The  engineer  made  a  rough,  impatient  gesture 
with  his  arm,  and  then  pulled  his  young  helper 
to  the  window. 

"  Look  sharp !  "  he  ordered. 

"  Yes,  Air.  Griscom." 
do 


50  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUS' DHOUSE 

"  My — my  eyes  are  pretty  bad.  When  the 
smoke  lifts — what's  beyond  the  car  yonder?  " 

"  I  can't  make  out  exactly,  but  I  think  a  clear 
track." 

"  How's  the  furnace?  " 

"  Rushing." 

"  All  right.  Now  then,  you  jump  off.  I'm 
going  to  let  her  go." 

Ralph  stared  hard  at  the  grim  old  veteran. 
He  could  see  he  was  on  the  verge  of  physical  col- 
lapse, and  he  wondered  if  his  mind  was  not  tot- 
tering too;  his  pertinacity  had  something  weird 
and  astonishing  in  it. 

"Jump!  "  ordered  Griscom,  giving  the  lever  a 
pull. 

Ralph  did  not  budge.  As  he  clearly  read  his 
companion's  purpose,  he  made  up  his  mind  to 
stick. 

The  prospect  was  something  awful,  and  yet, 
after  the  previous  experiences  of  that  exciting 
half-hour,  he  had  somehow  become  inured  to 
danger,  and  reckless  of  its  risks.  The  excitement 
and  wild,  hustling  activity  bore  a  certain  stimula- 
ting fascination. 

With  a  leap  99  bounded  forward  at  the  magic 
touch  of  the  old  king  of  the  lever.  It  plunged 
headlong  into  a  whirling  vortex  of  smoke. 

A   groaning  yell   went   up   from   the   fugitive 


THE  MASTER  MECHANIC  51 

crowds  in  the  distance,  as  the  intrepid  occupants 
of  the  cab  disappeared  like  lost  spirits. 

Only  for  the  shelter  of  the  cab  roof,  they  would 
have  been  deluged  with  burning  sparks. 

A  tongue  of  flame  took  Griscom  across  the  side 
of  his  face,  and  he  uttered  an  angry  yell — it 
seemed  to  madden  him  that  he  could  not  see 
clearly.  Then  as  they  struck  the  car  they  were 
making  for  with  a  heavy  thump,  the  shock  and  a 
spasm  of  weakness  drove  Griscom  from  the 
cushion,  and  he  slipped  to  the  floor  of  the  cab. 

Ralph's  mind  grasped  the  situation  in  all  its 
details.  He  knew  the  engineer's  purpose,  and  he 
felt  that  it  was  incumbent  on  him  to  carry  it  out 
if  he  could  do  so.  He  stepped  over  his  recumbent 
companion,  and  placed  his  hand  on  the  lever. 

He  could  not  now  see  ten  feet  ahead.  They 
^ere  in  the  very  vortex  of  the  fire.  Suddenly 
fney  shot  into  the  clear,  cool  air,  bracing  as  a 
shower  bath. 

The  cab  roof  was  smoking,  the  cab  floor  was 
paved  with  burning  cinders,  and  some  oil  waste 
was  blazing  back  among  the  coal  at  the  edge  of 
the  tender. 

Ahead,  the  top  and  sides  of  the  powder  car 
were  sheeted  with  flames,  which  the  swift  for- 
ward movement  drove  back  in  shroud-like  form. 

On  the  end  of  the  car  facing,  the  grim,  black 


52  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

warning :   "  Powder !  Danger !  "   stared   squarel y 
and  menacingly  into  the  eye  of  the  pilot  front. 

Griscom  struggled  to  his  feet.  He  fell  against 
Ralph.  The  latter  thought  he  was  delirious,  for 
his  lips  were  moving,  and  his  tortured  face  work- 
ing spasmodically.  Finally  he  said  weakly :  "  Pu* 
my  hands  on  the  gearing.     We're  out  of  it?  " 

"  Yes,  but  the  car  is  blazing." 

"What's  ahead?" 

"  Dead  tracks  for  nearly  a  thousand  feet." 

"  And  the  dump  pit  beyond?  " 

"  It  looks  so,"  said  Ralph,  leaning  from  the 
window  and  glancing  ahead  anxiously.  "  Yes, 
it's  rusted  rails  clear  up  to  what  looks  like  a 
slough  hole,  and  no  buildings  beyond." 

He  held  his  breath  as  Griscom  pulled  the  mo- 
mentum up  another  notch.  This  last  effort 
palsied  the  engineer,  his  fingers  relaxed,  and  he 
slipped  again  to  the  floor,  nerveless  but  writhing. 

"  Keep  her  going — full  speed  for  fiw  hundred 
feet,"  he  panted.     "  Then  stop  her." 

"  Yes,"  breathed  Ralph  quickly.  "  Stop  her — 
how,"  he  projected,  knowing  in  a  way,  but  want- 
ing to  be  sure,  for  the  sense  of  crisis  was  strong 
on  him,  and  the  present  was  no  time  to  make  mis- 
takes. Griscom's  directions  came  quick  and 
clear,  and  Ralph  obeyed  every  indication  with 
promptness. 


THE  MASTER  MECHANIC  53 

Ninety-nine  with  its  deadly  pilot  of  destruction 
plunged  ahead.  Ralph  estimated  distance.  He 
threw  himself  upon  the  lever,  and  reversed. 

The  wheels  shivered  to  a  sliding  halt.  He  ran 
back  rapidly  five  hundred  feet,  slowed  down,  and 
half  hung  out  of  the  window,  white  as  a  sheet 
and  limp  as  a  rag. 

A  glance  towards  the  burning  shops  had  shown 
the  firemen  back  at  their  work;  the  powder-car 
menace  removed.  Ralph,  too,  saw  little  crowds 
rounding  the  shops,  and  making  towards  them. 

Then  he  fixed  his  eyes  on  the  lone-speeding 
powder  car. 

It  had  been  thrown  at  full-tilt  impetus,  and 
drove  away  and  ahead,  a  living  firebrand, 
reached  the  end  of  the  rusted  rails,  ran  off  the 
roadbed,  tilted,  careened,  took  a  sliding  header, 
and  disappeared  from  view. 

Even  at  the  distance  of  a  thousand  feet  Ralph 
?ould  hear  a  prodigious  splash.  A  cascade  of 
water  shot  up,  and  then  a  steamy  smoke,  and  then 
there  lifted,  torrent-like,  house-high  above  the  pit, 
a  Vesuvius  of  water,  dirt,  splinters  and  twisted 
pieces  of  iron.  A  reverberating  crash  and  the 
end  had  come ! 

Griscom  struggled  to  his  feet.  On  his  face 
there  was  a  grimace  meant  for  a  smi'.e,  and  he 
chuckled : 


64  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"We  made  it!" 

He  managed  with  Ralph's  help  to  get  into  the 
engineer's  seat. 

"  Mr.  Griscom,"  said  Ralph,  "  you're  in  bad 
shape.  We  can't  get  back  the  way  we  came,  but 
if  you  could  walk  as  far  as  the  offices  we  might 
find  a  doctor." 

"  That's  so,  kid,"  nodded  the  old  engineer,  a 
little  wearily.  "  I've  got  to  get  this  junk  and 
glassware  out  of  my  eyes  if  I  run  the  10.15  to- 
morrow." 

Soon  the  advance  stragglers  of  the  curious 
crowd  from  the  shops  drew  near.  One  little 
group  was  headed  by  a  man  of  rather  more  im- 
posing appearance  than  the  section  men  in  his 
train. 

He  was  a  big-faced  individual  who  looked  of 
uncertain  temper,  yet  there  were  force  and  power 
in  his  bearing. 

"Hello,  there — that  you,  Griscom?"  he  sang 
out. 

The  engineer  blinked  his  troubled  eyes,  and 
nodded  curtly. 

"  It's  what's  left  of  me,  Mr.  Blake,"  he  ob- 
served grimly. 

Ralph  caught  the  name  and  recognized  the 
speaker — he  was  the  master  mechanic  of  the  road. 

"  They're  going  to  get  the  fire  under  control, 


THE   MASTER  MECHANIC  fcj> 

I  guess,"  continued  Blake.  "  They  wouldn't, 
though,  if  you  hadn't  got  that  car  out  of  the  way. 
Why,  you're  hurt,  man!"  exclaimed  the  official, 
really  concerned  as  he  caught  a  closer  glimpse  of 
the  face  of  the  engineer. 

"  Oh,  a  little  scratch." 

Ralph  broke  in.  He  hurriedly  explained  what 
had  happened  to  the  engineer's  eyes,  while  the 
nervy  Griscom  tried  to  make  little  of  it. 

"  Bring  a  truck  out  here,"  cried  the  master 
mechanic.  "  Why,  man !  you  can't  stand  up ! 
This  is  serious." 

In  about  five  minutes  they  had  rolled  a  freight 
truck  to  the  locomotive,  and  in  ten  more  Griscom 
was  under  charge  of  one  of  the  road  surgeons, 
hastily  summoned  to  a  room  in  the  yard  office, 
where  the  sufferer  was  taken. 

It  took  an  hour  to  mend  up  the  old  veteran. 
It  was  lucky,  the  surgeon  told  him,  that  soot  and 
putty  had  mixed  with  the  glass  in  the  explosion 
dose,  or  the  patient  would  have  been  blinded  for 
life. 

Griscom  could  see  quite  comfortably  when  he 
was  turned  over  to  the  master  mechanic  again, 
although  his  forehead  was  bandaged,  and  his 
cheeks  dotted  here  and  there  with  little  criss-cross 
patches  of  sticking-plaster. 

Ralph,  waiting  outside,  had  been  forced  to  tell 


56  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

the  story  of  the  daring-  dash  through  the  flames 
more  than  once  to  inquisitive  railroad  men.  He 
quite  obliterated  himself  in  the  recital. 

The  firemen  had  gained  control  of  the  flames, 
the  exigency  locomotives  had  all  been  sent  back  to 
the  city.  The  master  mechanic  stood  conversing 
with  Griscom  for  a  few  moments  after  the  latter 
left  the  surgeon's  hands,  and  then  approached 
Ralph  with  him.     It  was  dusk  now. 

"We'll  catch  the  8.12,  kid,"  announced  Gris- 
com. "  That's  him,  Mr.  Blake,"  he  added,  point- 
ing Ralph  out  to  his  companion.  "  He  did  it,  and 
I  only  helped  him,  and  he's  an  all-around  corker, 
I  can  tell  you !  " 

Griscom  slapped  Ralph  on  the  shoulder  em- 
phatically. The  master  mechanic  looked  at  the 
youth  grimly,  yet  with  a  glance  not  lacking  real 
interest. 

"  From  the  Junction  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"What's  the  name?" 

"  Fairbanks — Ralph  Fairbanks." 

"  Oh,"  said  the  master  mechanic  quickly,  as  if 
he  recognized  the  name.  "  We'll  remember  you, 
Fairbanks.     If  I  can  do  anything  for  you " 

"  You  can,  sir."  The  words  were  out  of 
Ralph's  mouth  before  he  intended  it.  "  I  want  to 
learn  railroading." 


THE   MASTER  MECHANIC  57 

"Learn!  "  chuckled  Griscom — "  why!  the  way 
you  worked  that  lever " 

"  Which  you  needn't  dwell  on,"  interrupted  the 
master  mechanic,  a  harsh  disciplinarian  on  prin- 
ciple. "  He  had  no  right  in  your  locomotive,  I 
suppose  you  know,  and  rules  say  you  are  liable  for 
a  lay  off." 

Griscom  kept  on  chuckling. 

"  We'll  forget  that,  though.  Where  do  you 
want  to  start,  Fairbanks?  " 

"  Right  at  the  bottom,  sir,"  answered  Ralph 
modestly. 

"  In  the  roundhouse?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

The  master  mechanic  drew  a  card  from  his 
pocket,  wrote  a  few  lines,  and  handed  it  to  Ralph. 

"  Give  that  to  Tim  Forgan,"  he  said  simply. 

To  Ralph,  just  then,  he  was  the  greatest  man 
in  the  world — he  who  could  in  ten  words  com- 
mand the  position  that  seemed  to  mean  for  him 
the  entrance  into  the  grandest  realm  of  industry, 
ambition  and  opulence. 


CHAPTER  VII 

AT    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Ralph  Fairbanks  came  out  of  the  little  cot- 
tage next  morning,  after  breakfast  feeling  bright 
as  a  dollar  and  happy  as  a  lark. 

He  realized  that  a  new  epoch  had  begun  in  his 
young  existence,  and  he  stood  fairly  on  the 
threshold  of  a  fascinrting  experience. 

Yesterday  seemed  like  a  variegated  dream,  and 
To-Day  full  of  expectation,  novelty  and  promise. 

His  mother's  anxiety  the  evening  previous  had 
given  way  to  pikte  and  subdued  affection,  when 
he  had  appeared  about  ten  o'clock  after  seeing  the 
engineer  home,  and  had  told  her  in  detail  the 
story  of  the  most  eventful  day  of  his  life. 

If  Mrs.  Fairbanks  felt  a  natural  disappoint- 
ment in  seeing  Ralph  forego  the  advantages  of  a 
finished  education,  she  did  not  express  it,  for  she 
knew  that  the  best  ambitions  of  his  soul  had  been 
p.rcused.  and  that  his  loyal  boyish  nature  had 
chosen  a  noble  course. 

Ralph  went  down  to  the  depot  and  bought  2 
Springfield  morning  paper.  It  contained  a  full 
58 


AT    THE   ROUNDHOUSE  59 

account  of  the  fire  at  the  yards.  It  detailed  the 
destruction  of  the  powder  car,  and  Griscom  came 
in  for  full  meed  of  praise.  Ralph  was  not  re- 
ferred to,  except  as  "  the  veteran  engineer's  heroic 
helper." 

It  did  not  take  long,  however,  for  Ralph  to  dis- 
cover that  word  of  mouth  had  run  ahead  of  tele- 
graphic haste. 

He  was  hailed  by  a  dozen  acquaintances,  in- 
cluding the  depot  master,  the  watchman,  express 
messenger  and  others,  who  made  him  flush  and 
thrill  with  pleasure  as  he  guessed  that  old  Gris- 
com had  managed  to  spread  the  real  news  whole- 
sale. 

"  You're  booked,  sure !  "  declared  More,  giving 
his  young  favorite  a  hearty  slap  on  the  shoulder. 

"  Why,  I  imagine  so  myself,"  answered  Ralph 
brightly,  but  thinking  only  of  the  master  me- 
chanic's card  in  his  pocket. 

"  You're  due  for  an  interview  with  the  pres- 
ident, you  are,"  declared  the  enthusiastic  More. 
"  Why,  you  two  saved  the  company  half  a  million. 
And  the  pluck  of  it !  Don't  you  be  modest,  kid. 
Hint  for  a  good  round  reward  and  a  soft-snap 
life  position." 

"  All  right."  nodded  Ralph  gayly.  "  Only,  I'll 
start  at  it  where  you  told  me  yesterday." 

"  Eh p  " 


60  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Yes — at  the  roundhouse." 

"  Hold  on,  Fairbanks — circumstances  alter 
cases " 

"  Not  in  this  instance.  Good-bye.  I  expect 
to  be  in  working  togs  before  night,  Mr.  More." 

Ralph  went  down  the  tracks,  leaving  the  agent 
staring  studiously  after  him. 

He  had  often  been  inside  the  roundhouse,  but 
with  genuine  interest  stood  looking  about  him 
for  some  minutes  after  stepping  beyond  the  broad 
entrance  of  that  dome-like  structure. 

Not  much  was  doing  at  that  especial  hour  of 
the  morning.  Three  "  dead  "  locomotives  stood 
in  their  stalls,  all  furbished  up  for  later  employ- 
ment. 

A  lame  helper  was  going  over  one,  just  arrived, 
with  an  oiled  rag. 

In  the  little  apartment  known  as  the  "  dog 
house,"  a  dozen  men  chatted,  snoozed,  or  were 
playing  checkers — firemen,  engineers  and  brake- 
men,  waiting  for  their  run,  or  off  duty  and  killing 
time. 

Ralph  finally  made  for  a  box-like  compartment 
built  in  one  section  of  the  place.  A  man  was 
sweeping  it  out. 

"  Can  you  tell  me  where  I  will  find  the  for© 
man?  "  he  asked. 

"Oh,  the  boss?" 


AT    THE   ROUNDHOUSE  Q\ 

"  Yes,  sir — Mr.  Forgan." 

"  You  mean  Tim.  He's  in  the  dog  house,  I 
guess.     Was,  last  I  saw  of  him." 

Ralph  went  to  the  dog  house.  At  a  rough 
board  nailed  to  the  wall,  and  answering  for  a 
desk,  a  big-shouldered,  gruff-looking  man  of 
about  fifty  was  scanning  the  daily  running  sheet. 

Two  of  the  loungers,  firemen,  knew  Ralph 
slightly,  and  nodded  to  him.  He  went  up  to  one 
of  them. 

"  Is  that  Mr.  Forgan  ?  "  he  inquired  in  a  low 
tone. 

"  That's  him,"  nodded  the  fireman — "  and  in 
his  precious  best  temper  this  morning,  too!  " 

Ralph  approached  the  fierce-visaged  master  of 
his  fate. 

"  Mr.  Forgan,"  he  said. 

The  foreman  looked  around  at  him,  and 
scowled. 

"Well?"  he  growled  out. 

"  Could  I  see  you  for  a  moment,"  suggested 
Ralph,  a  trifle  flustered  at  the  rude  reception. 

"  Take  a  good  look.     I'm  here,  ain't  I  ?  " 

Some  of  the  idle  listeners  chuckled  at  this,  and 
Ralph  felt  a  trifle  embarassed,  and  flushed  up. 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  so  am  I,"  he  said  quietly — "  on 
business.     I  wish  to  apply  for  a  position." 

"  Oh,  you  do?  "  retorted  the  big  foreman^  run- 


62  RALFH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

ning  his  eye  contemptuously  over  Ralph's  neat 
dress.  "  Sort  of  floor-walker  for  visitors,  or 
brushing  up  the  engineers'  plug  hats?" 

"  I  could  do  that,  too,"  asserted  Ralph,  good- 
naturedly. 

"  Well,  you  won't  do  much  of  anything  here," 
retorted  the  foreman,  "  for  there's  no  job  open, 
at  present.  If  there  was,  we've  had  quite  enough 
of  kids." 

Ralph  wondered  if  this  included  Ike  Slump. 
He  had  been  surprised  at  not  finding  that  individ- 
ual on  duty. 

The  foreman  now  unceremoniously  turned  his 
back  on  him.  Ralph  hesitated,  then  touched  For- 
gan  on  the  arm. 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  he  saifl  courteously,  "but  I 
was  told  to  give  you  this  * 

Ralph  extended  the  card  given  l.o  him  the  even- 
ing previous  by  the  master  mechanic. 

The  foreman  took  it  with  a  j«rk,  and  read  it 
with  a  frown.  Ralph  was  somewhat  astonished 
as  he  traced  the  effect  upon  him  of  the  simple 
note,  requesting,  as  he  knew,  that  a  place  be  made 
for  him  in  the  roundhouse- 

The  innocent  little  scr.ed  put  the  foreman  in  a 
violent  ferment.  His  ^ace  grew  angry  and  red. 
his  throat  throbbed,  and  his  heavy  jaw  knotted  up 
in  a  pugnacious  way.    He  turned  and  glared  wirii 


AT   THE   ROUNDHOUSE  63 

positive  dislike  and  suspicion  at  Ralph,  and  the 
latter,  quick  to  read  faces,  wondered  why. 

Then  the  foreman  re-read  the  card,  as  if  to 
gain  time  to  get  control  of  himself,  and  was  so 
lono-  silent  that  Ralph  finally  asked : 

"Is  it  all  right,  sir?  " 

"  Yes,  it  is !  "  snapped  the  foreman,  turning  on 
him  like  a  mad  bull.  "  I  suppose  Blake  knows 
his  business;  I've  been  sent  all  the  pikers  on  the 
line.  Probably  know  what  kind  of  material  I 
want  myself,  though.     Come  again  to-morrow." 

"  Ready  for  work?  "  asked  Ralph,  pressing  his 
point. 

"  Yes,''  came  the  surly  reply. 

"  What  time,  if  you  please,  sir?  " 
Seven. 

"  Thank  you." 

The  foreman  turned  from  him  with  an  angry 
grunt,  and  Ralph  started  to  leave. 

One  of  the  firemen  he  knew  winked  at  him, 
another  made  an  animated  grimace  at  the  surly 
boss.     Ralph  heard  a  third  remark,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  What  a  liking  he's  taken  to  him !  He'll  have 
a  fierce  run  for  his  money." 

:'  Yes,  it  '11  be  a  full  course  of  sprouts.  You 
won't  have  a  path  of  flowers,  kid." 

"  I  shan't  come  here  to  raise  flowers,"  answered 
Ralph  quietly. 


64  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

He  trod  the  air  as  he  left  the  roundhouse.  The 
gruff,  uncivil  manner  of  the  foreman  had  not 
daunted  him  a  whit.  He  had  met  all  kinds  of 
men  in  his  brief  business  experience,  and  he  be- 
lieved that  honest,  conscientious  endeavor  could 
not  fail  to  win  both  success  and  good  will  in  time. 

Ralph  went  back  to  his  friend  More,  at  the  ex- 
press shed,  and  told  his  story. 

"  You're  booked,  sure  enough,"  admitted  the 
agent,  though  a  little  glumly.  "  I'd  have  struck 
higher." 

"  It  suits  me,  Mr.  More,"  declared  Ralph. 
"  And  now,  I  want  your  good  services  of  advice 
as  to  what  I  am  expected  to  do,  and  what  clothes 
I  need." 

Ralph  left  his  friend,  thoroughly  posted  as  to 
his  probable  duties  at  the  roundhouse.  The  agent 
advised  him  to  purchase  a  cheap  pair  of  jumpers, 
and  wear  old  rough  shoes  and  a  thin  pair  of  gloves 
the  first  day  or  two. 

Ralph  visited  a  dry-goods  store,  fitted  himself 
out,  and  started  for  home. 

He  was  absorbed  in  thinking  and  planning,  and 
turning  a  corner  thus  engrossed  almost  ran  into  a 
pedestrian. 

As  he  drew  back  and  aside,  a  hand  was  sud- 
denly thrust  out  and  seized  his  arm  in  a  vise-like 

grip- 


AT    THE   ROUNDHOUSE  65 

"No,  you  don't!"  sounded  a  strident  voice. 
"  I've  got  you  at  last,  have  I?  " 

In  astonishment  Ralph  looked  up,  to  recognize 
his  self-announced  captor.  It  was  Gasper  Par- 
tington. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE    OLD     FACTORY 

Ralph  pulled  loose  from  the  grasp  of  the 
crabbed  old  capitalist,  fairly  indignant  at  the  sud- 
den onslaught. 

"Don't  you  run!  don't  you  run!"  cried  Far- 
rington, swinging  his  cane  threateningly. 

"And  don't  you  dare  to  strike!"  warned 
Ralph,  with  a  glitter  in  his  eye.  "  I'd  like  to 
know,  sir,  what  right  you  have  stopping  me  on 
the  public  street  in  this  manner?  " 

"  It  will  be  a  warrant  matter,  if  you  aint  care- 
ful!  "  retorted  Farrington. 

"  I  can't  imagine  how." 

"Oh,  can't  you?"  gibed  Farrington,  his  plain 
animosity  for  Ralph  showing  in  his  malicious  old 
face.     "  Well,  I'll  show  you." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  do  so." 

"  Do  you  see  that  building?  " 

Farrington  pointed  across  the  baseball  grounds 
at  the  edge  of  which  they  stood,  indicating  the 
old  unused  factory. 

A  light  broke  on  Ralph's  mind. 
CG 


THE    OLD   FACTORY  67 

"  I  own  that  building,"  announced  Farrington, 
swelling  up  with  importance — "it's  my  property." 

"  So  I've  heard." 

"  A  window  was  broken  there  and  you  broke 
it!" 

"  I  did,"  admitted  Ralph. 

"Oho!  you  shamefacedly  acknowledge  it,  do 
you?  Malicious  mischief,  young  man — that's 
the  phase  of  the  law  you're  up  against!  " 

"  It  was  an  accident,"  said  Ralph — "  pure  and 
simple." 

"  Well,  you'll  stand  for  it." 

"  I  intend  to.  I  made  a  note  of  it  in  my  mind 
at  the  time,  Mr.  Farrington,  and  if  you  had  not 
said  a  word  to  me  about  it  I  should  have  done  the 
right  thing." 

"  What  do  you  call  the  right  thing?  " 

"  Replacing  the  light  of  glass,  of  course,"  was 
Ralph's  reply. 

"  Glad  to  see  you've  got  some  sense  of  decency 
about  you.  All  right.  It  '11  cost  you  just  a  dol- 
lar and  twenty-five  cents.  Hand  over  the  money, 
and  I'll  have  my  man  fix  it." 

Ralph  laughed  outright. 

"  Hardly,  Mr.  Farrington,"  he  said.  "  I  can 
buy  a  pane  of  glass  for  thirty-five  cents,  and  put 
it  in  for  nothing.  I  will  take  this  bundle  home 
and  attend  to  it  at  once." 


68  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Farrington  looked  mad  and  disappointed  at 
being  outwitted  in  his  attempt  to  make  three 
hundred  per  cent.  However,  if  Ralph  made 
good  he  could  find  no  fault  with  the  proposition. 
He  mumbled  darkly  and  Ralph  passed  on.  Then 
a  temptation  he  could  not  resist  came  to  the  boy, 
and  turning  he  remarked : 

"  You'll  be  glad  to  know,  perhaps,  Mr.  Far- 
rington,  that  I  have  obtained  steady  work." 

"Why  should  I  be  glad?" 

"  Because  you  advised  it.  and  because  it  will 
enable  us  to  pay  you  your  interest  promptly." 

"  Humph !  "  Then  with  an  eager  expression 
of  face  Farrington  asked :  "  What  are  you  going 
to  work  at?  " 

"  Railroading." 

"  Very  good — of  course  at  the  general  offices 
at  Springfield?" 

"  Of  course  not.  I  start  in  at  the  roundhouse 
here,  to-morrow." 

It  was  amazing  how  sour  the  magnate's  face 
suddenly  grew.  Once  more  Ralph  wondered  why 
this  man  was  so  anxious  to  get  them  out  of  Stan- 
ley Junction. 

Ralph  proceeded  homewards.  It  warmed  his 
heart  to  see  how  thoroughly  his  mother  entered 
into  all  his  hopes  and  projects.  She  was  soon 
busy  in   her  quick,   sure  way,   sewing  on  more 


THE    OLD   FACTORY  69 

strongly  the  buttons  of  jumper  and  overalls,  and 
promised  to  have  a  neat  light  cap  and  working 
gloves  ready  for  him  by  nightfall. 

Ralph  explained  to  her  about  the  broken  win- 
dow, got  a  rule  from  his  father's  old  tool  chest, 
and  went  over  to  the  vacant  factory. 

It  was  surrounded  by  a  high  fence,  but  at  one 
place  in  seeking  lost  balls  members  of  the  Cri- 
terion Club  had  partially  removed  a  gate.  Ralph 
passed  among  the  debris  littering  the  yard,  and 
went  around  the  place  until  he  found  a  door  with 
a  broken  lock. 

He  gained  the  inside  and  went  up  a  rickety 
stairs.  Swinging  open  a  door  at  their  top,  Ralph 
found  himself  in  the  compartment  with  the  broken 
window. 

The  air  was  close  and  unwholesome,  despite  the 
orifice  the  baseball  had  made.  A  broken  sky- 
light topped  the  center  of  the  room,  and  a  rain  of 
the  previous  night  had  dripped  down  unimpeded 
and  soaked  the  flooring. 

"  The  ball  must  be  here  somewhere,"  mused 
Ralph.     "  There  it  is,  but " 

As  he  spied  the  ball  about  the  center  of  the 
room,  Ralph  discerned  something  else  that  sent  a 
quick  wave  of  concern  across  his  nerves. 

He  stood  silent  and  spellbound. 

Upon  the  floor  was  a  human  being,  so  grimly 


TO  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

stark  and  white,  that  death  was  instantly  sug- 
gested to  Ralph's  mind. 

His  eyes,  becoming  accustomed  to  the  half- 
veiled  light  filtered  through  the  dirt-crusted  panes 
of  the  skylight,  made  out  that  the  figure  on  the 
floor  was  that  of  a  boy. 

As  he  riveted  his  glance,  Ralph  further  dis- 
covered that  it  was  the  same  boy  he  had  met  at 
the  depot  the  morning  previous — the  mysterious 
"  dead-head  ''  under  the  trucks  of  the  10.15  train. 

He  lay  upon  the  rough  boards  face  upwards, 
his  limbs  stretched  out  naturally,  but  stiff  and 
useless-looking. 

The  rain  had  soaked  his  garments,  and  he  must 
have  lain  there  at  least  since  last  midnight. 
Ralph  was  shocked  and  uncertain.  Then  an 
abrupt  thought  made  him  tremble  and  fear. 

The  ball  lay  by  the  boy's  side.  Right  above 
one  temple  was  the  dark  circular  outline  of  a 
depression. 

It  flashed  like  lightning  through  Ralph's  mind 
that  the  stranger  had  been  struck  by  the  balk 

The  theory  forced  itself  upon  him  that  in  hid- 
ing from  the  pursuing  depot  watchman,  the 
stranger  had  sought  refuge  in  the  factory. 

He  might  have  quite  naturally  needed  a  rest 
after  his  long  and  torturing  ride  on  truck  and 
crossbar — he  must  have  been  in  this  room  when 


THE    OLD   FACTORY  71 

Ralph  had  swung  the  bat  that  had  sent  the  base- 
ball hurtling  through  the  window  with  the  force 
of  a  cannon  shot. 

"  It  is  true — it  is  true!  "  breathed  Ralph  in  a 
ghastly  whisper,  as  the  full  consequence  of  his 
innocent  act  burst  upon  his  mind. 

He  had  to  hold  to  a  post  to  support  himself, 
swaying-  there  and  looking  down  at  the  cold,  mute 
face,  sick  at  heart,  and  his  brain  clouded  with 
dread. 

It  must  have  been  a  full  five  minutes  before 
he  pulled  himself  together,  and  tried  to  divest 
himself  of  the  unnatural  horror  that  palsied  his 
energies. 

He  finally  braced  his  nerves,  and,  advancing, 
knelt  beside  the  prostrate  boy. 

Ralph  placed  his  trembling  hand  inside  the 
open  coat,  and  let  it  rest  over  the  heart.  His 
own  throbbed  loud  and  strong  with  hope  and  re- 
lief, as  under  his  finger  tips  there  was  a  faint, 
faint  fluttering. 

"He  is  alive — thank  heaven  for  that!"  cried 
Ralph  fervently. 

He  ran  to  the  window.  Through  the  broken 
pane  he  could  view  the  baseball  grounds  and  the 
clubhouse  beyond. 

Will  Cheever  was  sitting  outside  of  the  house, 
and  at  a  little  distance  another  member  of  the 


72  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Criterions  was  exercising  with  a  pair  of  Indian 
clubs. 

Ralph  tried  to  lift  the  lower  sash,  but  it  would 
not  budge. 

He  ripped  out  of  place  the  loose  side  piece,  and 
removed  the  sash  complete. 

"  Will — boys !  "  he  shouted  loudly,  "  come — > 
come  quick !  " 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN    UNEXPECTED    GUEST 

Ralph  soon  drew  the  attention  of  his  friendss 
and  in  a  few  minutes  Will  Cheever  and  his  com 
panion  had  made  their  way  into  the  old  factory. 

Both  looked  startled  as  they  entered  the  room, 
and  serious  and  anxious  as  Ralph  hurriedly  told 
of  his  discovery  and  theory. 

"  It  looks  as  if  you  were  right,  Ralph,"  said 
Will  as  he  looked  closely  at  the  silent  form  on  the 
floor. 

"  Poor  fellow!  "  commented  Will's  companion. 
"  He  must  have  beet?  lying  here  all  alone — all 
through  that  storm,  too— since  yesterday  after- 
noon." 

"  He  isn't  dead,"  announced  Will,  but  still  in 
an  awed  tone.  "  What  are  you  going  to  do, 
Ralph?" 

"  We  must  get  him  out  of  here,"  answered 
Ralph.  "  If  one  of  you  could  bring  the  cot  over 
from  the  clubhouse,  we  will  carry  him  there." 

Will  sped  away  on  the  mission  indicated. 
When  he  returned,  they  prepared  to  use  the  cot  as 

73 


74  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

a  stretcher.  The  strange  boy  moved  and  moaned 
slightly  as  they  lifted  him  up,  but  did  not  open  his 
eyes,  and  lay  perfectly  motionless  as  they  care- 
fully carried  him  down  the  stairs,  across  the  ball- 
field,  and  into  the  clubhouse. 

There  was  a  telephone  there.  Ralph  hurriedly 
called  up  a  young  physician,  very  friendly  with 
the  boys,  and  whose  services  they  occasionally 
required. 

He  arrived  in  the  course  of  the  next  fifteen 
minutes.  He  expressed  surprise  at  the  wet  and 
draggled  condition  of  his  patient,  felt  his  pulse, 
examined  his  heart,  and  sat  back  with  his  brows 
knitted  in  thoughtfulness. 

"  Who  is  he?"  inquired  the  doctor. 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Ralph.  "  He  is  a 
stranger  to  Stanley  Junction.  From  his  clothes, 
I  should  judge  he  is  some  poor  fellow  from  the 
country  districts,  who  has  seen  hard  work,"  and 
Ralph  told  about  th.2  first  sensational  appearance 
of  the  stranger  at  the  depot  the  morning  before, 
and  the  details  of  his  accidental  discovery  an  hour 
previous  in  the  old  factory. 

"  Your  theory  is  probably  correct,  Fairbanks," 
said  the  young  physician  gravely.  "  That  blow 
on  the  head  is  undoubtedly  the  cause  of  his  present 
condition,  and  that  baseball  undoubtedly  struck 
him  down.     iVying  neglected  and  insensible  for 


AN   UNEXPECTED    GUEST  75 

twenty-four  hours,  and  exposed  to  the  storm,  has 
not  helped  things  any." 

"But — is  his  condition  dangerous?"  inquired 
Ralph  in  a  fluttering  tone. 

"  It  is  decidedly  serious,  answered  the  doctor. 
"  There  appears  to  be  a  suspension  of  nerve  activ- 
ity, and  I  would  say  concussion  of  the  brain. 
The  case  puzzles  me,  however,  for  the  general 
functions  are  normal." 

"  Can't  you  do  something  to  revive  him?  "  in- 
quired Will. 

"  I  shall  try,  but  I  fear  returning  sensibility  will 
show  serious  damage  to  the  brain,"  said  the 
doctor. 

He  opened  his  pocket  medicine  case,  and  select- 
ing a  little  phial,  prepared  a  few  drops  of  its  con- 
tents with  water,  and  hypodermically  injected 
this  into  the  patient's  arm. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  watchers  observed  a 
warm,  healthy  flush  spread  over  the  white  face 
and  limp  hands  of  the  recumbent  boy.  His  mus- 
cles twitched.  He  moved,  sighed,  and  became 
inert  again,  but  seemed  now  rather  in  a  deep, 
natural  sleep  than  in  a  comatose  condition. 

The  doctor  watched  his  patient  silently,  seem- 
ingly satisfied  with  the  effects  of  his  ministrations. 

After  a  while  he  took  up  another  phial,  held 
back  one  eyelid  of  the  sleeper  with  forefinger  and 


76  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUXDHOUSE 

thumb,  and  let  a  few  drops  enter  the  eye  of  the 
sleeper. 

The  patient  shot  np  one  hand  as  if  a  hot  cinder 
had  struck  his  eyeball.  He  rubbed  the  afflicted 
optic,  gasped,  squirmed,  and  came  half-upright  on 
one  arm.  Both  eyes  opened,  one  blinking  as 
though  smarting  with  pain. 

He  wavered  so  weakly  that  Ralph  braced  an 
arm  behind  to  support  him. 

"Steady  now!"  said  the  doctor,  touching  his 
patient  with  a  prodding  finger  to  attract  his  at- 
tention.    "  Who  are  you,  my  friend?  " 

The  boy  stared  blankly  at  him  as  he  caught  the 
sound  of  his  voice,  and  then  at  the  three  boys. 
He  did  not  smile,  and  there  was  a  peculiarly 
vacant  expression  on  his  face. 

Then  he  moved  his  lips  as  if  his  throat  was 
parched  and  stiff,  and  said  huskily : 

"  Hungry." 

The  doctor  shrugged  his  shoulders,  puzzled  and 
amused.  Ralph  himself  half-smiled.  The  de- 
mand was  so  distinctively  human  it  cheered  him. 

The  patient  kept  looking  around  as  if  expecting 
food  to  be  brought  to  him.  The  young  physician 
studied  him  silently.  Then  he  projected  half  a 
dozen  quick,  sharp  questions.  His  patient  did 
not  even  appear  to  hear  him.  He  looked  re- 
proachfully about  him,  and  again  spoke: 


AN   UNEXPECTED    GUEST  77 

"  Fried  perch  would  be  pretty  good!  " 

"  He  must  be  about  half-starved,  poor  fellow !  " 
observed  Will.  "  Doctor,  he  acts  all  right,  only 
desperately  hungry.  Maybe  a  good  square  meal 
will  fix  him  out  all  right?  " 

The  doctor  moved  towards  the  door,  and 
beckoned  Ralph  there. 

"  Fairbanks,''  he  said,  "  this  is  a  serious  matter 
— no,  no,  I  don't  mean  the  fact  that  the  baseball 
did  the  damage,"  he  explained  hurriedly,  as  he 
saw  Ralph's  face  grow  pale  and  troubled.  "  That 
was  an  accident,  and  something  you  could  not 
foresee.  I  mean  that  this  poor  fellow  is,  for  the 
present  at  least,  helpless  as  a  child." 

"  Doctor,"  quavered  Ralph,  "  you  don't  mean 
his  mind  is  gone." 

"  I  fear  it  is." 

"  Oh,  don't  say  that!  don't  say  that!  "  pleaded 
Ralph,  falling  against  the  door  post  and  covering 
his  face  with  his  hands. 

He  was  genuinely  distressed.  All  the  bright- 
ness of  his  good  luck  and  prospects  seemed 
dashed  out.  He  could  not  divest  his  mind  of  a 
certain  responsibility  for  the  condition  of  the  poor 
fellow  on  the  cot,  whose  usefulness  in  life  had 
been  cut  short  by  an  accidental  "  lost  ball." 

"  Don't  be  overcome — it  isn't  like  you,  Fair- 
banks," chided  the  doctor  gently.     '  I  know  you 


78  RALPH   UP    THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

feel  badly — we  all  da  Let  us  get  at  the  practical 
end  of  this  business  without  delay.  We  had  better 
get  the  patient  removed  to  the  hospital,  first 
thing." 

"No!"  interrupted  Ralph  quickly,  "not  that, 
doctor — that  is,  anyway  not  yet.'' 

"  He  needs  skillful  attention." 

"He's  needing  some  hash  just  now!"  put  in 
Will  Cheever,  approaching,  his  face,  despite  him- 
self, on  a  grin.     "  Hear  him!  " 

The  stranger  was  certainly  sticking  to  his  point. 
"Hash  with  lots  of  onions  in  it!"  they  heard 
him  call  out. 

"Will  it  hurt  him  to  eat,  doctor?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  In  fact,  except  to  feed  him 
and  watch,  I  don't  see  that  he  needs  anything. 
You  can't  splinter  a  brain  shock  as  you  can  a 
broken  finger,  or  poultice  a  skull  depression  as 
you  would  a  bruise.  There's  simply  something 
mental  gone  out  of  the  boy's  life  that  science  can- 
not put  in  again.  There  is  this  hope,  though : 
that  when  the  physical  shock  has  fully  passed, 
something  may  develop  for  the  better." 

"  You  mean  to-day,  to-morrow " 

"  Oh,  no — weeks,  maybe  months." 

Ralph  looked  disheartened,  but  the  next  mo- 
ment his  face  took  upon  it  a  look  of  resolution 


AN    UNEXPECTED    GUEST  79 

always  adopted  when  he  fully  made  up  his  mind 
10  anything. 

"  Very  well,"  he  said,  "  he  must  be  taken  to  our 
house." 

With  the  doctor  Ralph  was  a  rare  favorite,  and 
his  face  showed  that  he  read  and  appreciated  the 
kindly  spirit  that  prompted  the  young  railroader's 
action.  He  placed  his  hand  in  a  friendly  way  on 
his  shoulder. 

"  Fairbanks,"  he  said,  "  you're  a  good  kind, 
and  do  credit  to  yourself,  but  I  fear  you  are  in  no 
shape  to  take  such  a  burden  on  your  young 
shoulders." 

"  It  is  my  burden,"  said  Ralph  firmly,  "  whose 
else's  ?  Why,  doctor !  if  I  let  that  poor  fellow  go 
to  the  hospital,  among  utter  strangers,  handed 
down  the  line  you  don't  know  where — poorhouse, 
asylum,  and  pauper's  grave  maybe,  it  would  haunt 
me !  No,  I  feel  I  am  responsible  for  his  condi- 
tion, and  I  intend  to  take  care  of  him,  at  least  until 
something  better  for  him  turns  up.  Help  me, 
boys." 

"  I'll  drop  in  to  see  him  again,  at  your  house," 
said  the  doctor.  "  I  don't  think  he  will  make  you 
any  trouble  in  the  way  of  violence,  or  that,  but 
you  had  better  keep  a  constant  eye  on  him." 

Ralph  thought  a  good  deal  on  the  way  to  the 
cottage.     He  felt   that  he  was   doing  the  right 


CHAPTER  X 

THE     MYSTERIOUS     LETTER 

Will  and  his  friend  offered  to  attend  to  th<* 
broken  window  in  the  old  factory  for  Ralph,  and 
the  latter  was  glad  to  accept  the  tendered  service. 

He  gave  them  the  price  of  glass  and  putty,  and 
a  blunt  case  knife,  told  them  they  would  find  his 
rule  under  the  window,  and  as  they  departed  felt 
assured  they  would  attend  to  the  matter  with 
promptness  and  dispatch. 

Ralph  had  something  on  his  mind  that  he  felt 
he  could  best  carry  out  alone,  and  after  their  de- 
parture he  left  his  mother  quietly  sewing  in  her 
rocking  chair  to  watch  their  placidly  slumbering 
guest. 

"  The  boy  is  a  stranger  here,  of  course,"  Ralph 
ruminated.  "Where  did  he  come  from?  I 
hope  I  will  find  something  among  his  belongings 
that  will  tell." 

They  were  poor  belongings,  and  now  hung 
across  a  clothes  line  in  the  back  yard,  drving  in 
the  warm  sunshine. 

The  coat  and  trousers  were  of  coarse  material, 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   LETTER  83 

clumsily  patched  here  and  there  as  if  by  a  novice, 
and  Ralph  decided  did  not  bear  that  certain  un- 
mistakable trace  that  tells  of  home  or  motherly 
?are. 

In  the  trousers  pocket  Ralph  found  a  coil  of 
string-,  a  blunt  bladed  pocket  knife,  and  a  hunk  of 
linen  thread  with  a  couple  of  needles  stuck  in  it — ■ 
this  was  all. 

The  coat  contained  not  a  single  clew  as  to  the 
identity  of  the  stranger,  not  a  hint  of  his  regular 
place  of  residence,  whence  he  had  come  or  whither 
he  was  going. 

It  held  but  one  object — a  letter  which  the  boy 
when  pursued  by  the  depot  guardians  had  shown 
to  Ralph  the  morning  previous,  and  which  at  that 
time  with  considerable  astonishment  Ralph  had 
observed  bore  the  superscription :  "  Mr.  John 
Fairbanks." 

He  had  thought  of  the  letter  and  wondered  at 
its  existence,  the  possible  sender,  the  singular 
messenger,  a  score  of  times  since  he  had  at- 
tempted to  take  it  from  the  dead-head  passenger 
of  the  10.15. 

Now  he  held  it  in  his  grasp,  but  Ralph  handled 
it  gingerly.  The  envelope  was  soaking  wet,  just 
as  was  the  coat  and  the  pocket  he  had  taken  it 
from.  As  he  removed  it  from  its  resting  place 
he  observed  that  the  poor  ink  of  the  superscription 


84  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

had  run,  and  the  letters  of  the  address  were  faded 
and  fast  disappearing. 

To  open  it  with  any  hope  of  removing  its  con- 
tents intact  in  its  present  condition  was  clearlv  im- 
possible. Ralph  held  it  carefully  against  the 
sunlight.  Its  envelope  was  thin,  and  he  saw  dark 
patches  and  blurs  inside,  indicating  that  the  writ- 
ing there  had  run  also. 

"  I  had  better  let  it  dry  before  I  attempt  to  open 
it,"  decided  Ralph,  and  he  placed  it  on  a  smooth 
board  near  the  well  in  the  full  focus  of  the  bright 
sunshine. 

A  good  deal  hinged  on  that  letter,  he  told  him- 
self. It  would  at  all  events  settle  the  identity  of 
his  dead  father's  correspondent,  again  it  would 
divulge  who  it  was  that  had  sent  the  letter  and  the 
messenger,  and  thus  the  unfortunate's  friends 
could  be  found.  It  would  take  a  little  time  to 
dry  out  the  soggy  envelope,  and  Ralph  paced 
about  the  garden  paths,  whistling  softly  to  him- 
self and  thinking  hard  over  the  queer  happenings 
of  the  past  twenty-four  hours. 

As  he  passed  the  window  of  the  little  sitting 
room,  he  tiptoed  the  gravel  path  up  to  it  and 
glanced  in. 

His  mother  still  sat  in  the  rocker,  but  she  had 
fallen  into  a  slight  doze,  and  her  sewing  lay  idle 
in  her  lap.     Ralph,  transferring  his  gaze  to  the 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   LETTER  85 

armchair  where  they  had  so  comfortably  bestowed 
the  invalid,  fairly  started  with  astonishment. 

"Why,  he  isn't  there!''  breathed  Ralph  in 
some  alarm,  and  ran  around  to  the  entrance  by  the 
kitchen  door. 

At  its  threshold  Ralph  paused,  enchained  by  the 
unexpected  picture  there  disclosed  to  his  view. 

The  injured  boy  stood  at  the  sink.  He  had 
found  and  tied  about  his  waist  a  work  apron  be- 
longing- to  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  Before  him  was  the 
dishpan  half-full  of  water,  and  he  had  washed 
and  wiped  neatly  and  quickly  the  dishes  from  th* 
tray. 

He  arranged  the  various  articles  in  their  respec- 
tive drawers  and  shelves,  stood  back  viewing 
them  with  satisfaction,  removed  the  apron,  care- 
fully hung  it  up,  and  went  to  the  open  back  door 
leading  into  the  wood  shed. 

Ralph's  alarm  for  fear  that  his  guest  had 
wandered  off  or  might  do  himself  a  mischief,  gave 
place  to  pleased  interest. 

It  looked  as  if  the  strange  boy  had  been  used 
to  some  methodical  features  of  domestic  life,  and 
habit  was  fitting  him  readily  and  comfortably 
into  the  groove  in  which  he  found  himself. 

Ralph  decided  that  he  would  not  startle  or  dis- 
turb the  stranger,  but  would  watch  to  see  what  he 
did  next. 


86  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

The  boy  glanced  towards  the  wood  box  behind 
the  cook  stove.  In  the  hurry  of  the  past  twenty- 
four  hours  Ralph  had  not  found  time  to  keep  it 
as  well  filled  as  usual. 

His  guest  evidently  observed  this,  went  into  the 
wood  shed,  seated  himself  on  the  chopping"  log, 
and  seizing  the  short  handled  ax  there,  began 
chopping  the  sawed  lengths  piled  near  at  hand 
with  a  pleased,  hearty  good  will. 

Mrs.  Fairbanks,  disturbed  by  the  sound  of 
chopping,  had  awakened,  and  with  some  trepida- 
tion came  hurrying  from  the  sitting  room,  anx- 
iously seeking  to  learn  what  had  become  of  their 
guest. 

Ralph  motioned  her  to  silence,  his  finger  on  his 
lip,  and  pointed  significantly  through  the  open 
rear  doorway. 

A  pathetic  sympathy  crossed  the  widow's  face 
and  the  tears  came  into  her  eyes.  Ralph  left  her 
to  keep  an  unobtrusive  watch  on  their  guest,  and 
returning  to  the  well,  found  the  envelope  he  had 
left  there  pretty  well  dried  out. 

He  carefully  removed  the  envelope,  and  placed 
it  in  his  pocket.  Then  he  as  carefully  unfolded 
the  sheet  within. 

An  expression  of  dismay  crossed  his  face.  The 
inside  screed  had  not  been  written  in  ink,  but  with 
a  soft  purple  lead  pencil.     This  the  rain  had  af- 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   LETTER  8? 

fected  even  more  than  it  had  the  envelope  in  which 
it  had  been  enclosed. 

At  first  sight  the  missive  was  an  indecipher- 
able blur,  but  scanning  it  more  closely,  Ralph 
gained  some  faint  hope  that  he  might  make  out 
at  least  a  part  of  its  contents. 

He  had  a  magnifying  glass  in  his  workroom  in 
the  attic,  and  he  went  there  for  it.  For  nearly 
an  hour  Ralph  pored  over  the  sheet  of  paper  which 
he  held  in  his  hand. 

His  face  was  a  study  as  he  came  downstairs 
again,  and  sought  his  mother. 

She  sat  near  the  doorway  between  the  kitchen 
and  the  sitting  room,  where  she  could  keep  sight 
of  their  guest. 

The  invalid  was  seated  on  the  door  step  of  the 
wood  shed  shelling  a  pan  of  peas,  as  happy  and 
contented  a  mortal  as  one  would  see  in  a  day's 
journey. 

"  He  is  a  good  boy,"  said  the  widow  softly  to 
Ralph,  "  and  winsome  with  his  gentle,  easy  ways. 
He  seems  to  delight  in  occupation.  What  is  it, 
Ralph?"  she  added,  as  she  noted  the  serious, 
preoccupied  look  on  her  son's  face. 

"  It  is  about  the  letter,  mother,"  explained 
Ralph.  "  I  told  you  partly  about  it.  It  was  cer- 
tainly directed  to  father,  and  some  one  employed 
or  sent  this  boy  to  deliver  it." 


CHAPTER  XI 

ON  DUTY 

Ralph  cut  across  lots  on  his  way  to  the  round- 
house. He  was  not  one  whit  ashamed  to  be 
seen  wearing  a  working-  cap  and  carrying  a  dinner 
pail  and  the  bundle  under  his  arm,  but  cap,  pair 
and  overalls  were  distressingly  new  and  conspic 
uous,  and  he  was  something  like  a  boy  in  his  first 
Sunday  suit  and  wondering  if  it  fitted  right,  and 
how  the  public  took  it. 

It  was  too  early  to  meet  any  of  his  school 
friends,  but  crossing  a  street  to  take  the  tracks  he 
was  hailed  volubly. 

Ralph  did  not  halt..  His  challenger  was  Grif 
Farrington,  his  arm  linked  in  that  of  a  chum 
whom  Ralph  did  not  know,  both  smoking,  cigar- 
ettes, and  both  showing  the  rollicking  mood  of 
young  would-be  sports  who  wished  it  to  be  be- 
lieved they  had  been  making  a  night  of  it,  and 
thinking  it  smart. 

"  What's  the  uniform,  Fairbanks?  "  cried  Grif, 
affecting  a  critical  stare — ''going  fishing?  If 
that  a  bait  box  ?  " 

90 


ON  DUTY  91 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  It's  my  dinner  pail,  and  I'm 
going-  to  work,  at  the  roundhouse." 

"Chump!" 

"  Oh,  I  guess  not." 

"  Double-distilled !  Make  more  money  going 
on  the  circuit  with  the  club.  Personally  guaran- 
tee you  ten  dollars  a  week.  Got  scads  of  money, 
me  and  the  old  man.  Sorry,"  commented  Grif 
in  a  solemn  manner,  as  Ralph  continued  on  his 
way  unheeding.  "  Poor,  but  knows  how  to  bat. 
Pity  to  see  a  fellow  go  wrong  that  way,  eh  ?  "  he 
asked  his  companion. 

Ralph  laughed  to  himself,  and  braced  up 
proudly.  Between  idle,  dissolute  Grif  Farring- 
ton  and  himself  he  could  see  no  room  for  com- 
parison. 

Some  sleepy  loungers  were  in  the  dog  house, 
tod  a  fireman  was  running  his  engine  to  its  stall. 
Ralph  went  over  to  the  lame  helper  he  had  seen 
the  day  previous. 

"  Fm  to  begin  work  here  to-day,  I  was  told,'* 
he  said.     "  Can  you  start  me  in?  " 

"  I'm  not  the  boss." 

"  I  know  that,  but  couldn't  you  show  me  the 
ropes  before  the  others  come?  " 

"  Why,  there's  an  empty  locker  for  your  traps," 
said  the  man.  "  When  the  foreman  comes,  he'll 
tell  you  what  vour  duties  are." 


92  RALPH   OF   THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

"  No  harm  putting  in  the  time  usefully,  I  suj> 
pose?"  insinuated  Ralph. 

"  I  suppose  not,"  answered  the  taciturn  helpei. 
He  seemed  a  sickly,  spiritless  creature,  whom  mis- 
fortune or  a  naturally  crabbed  temper  had  warped 
clear  out  of  gear. 

Ralph  stowed  his  dinner  pail  in  the  locker, 
slipped  on  overalls  and  jumper  and  an  old  pair  of 
shoes,  and  placed  the  fingerless  gloves  he  had  pre- 
pared in  a*  convenient  pocket. 

The  lame  helper  had  disappeared.  Ralph 
noticed  that  the  place  needed  sweeping.  He  went 
to  where  the  brooms  stood,  selected  one,  and 
started  in  at  his  voluntary  task. 

He  felt  he  was  doing  something  to  improve  the 
looks  of  things,  and  worked  with  a  will.  He  had 
made  the  greasy  boards  look  quite  spick  and 
smooth,  and  was  whistling  cheerily  at  his  work, 
when  a  gruff  growl  caused  him  to  look  up. 

The  foreman,  Tim  Forgan,  confronted  him 
with  a  lowering,  suspicious  brow. 

"Who  told  you  to  do  that?"  he  demanded 
sharply 

"  Why,  nobody,"  answered  Ralph.  "  I  like  to 
keep  busy,  that's  all.     No  harm,  I  hope?  " 

"Yes,  there  is!"  snapped  Forgan.  Ralph 
surprisedly  wondered  why  this  man  seemed  deter- 
mined to  be  at  odds  with  him.     He  had  not  fallen 


GN   DUTY  93 

in  with  very  cheerful  or  elevating  company.  For- 
gan  continued  to  regard  him  with  an  evil  eye. 

"  See  here,"  he  said  roughly,  "  I'll  have  dis- 
cipline here,  and  I'll  be  boss.  I'll  give  you  your 
duties,  and  if  you  step  over  the  line,  get  out. 
This  isn't  a  playroom,  as  you'll  probably  find  out 
before  you've  been  here  long." 

Ralph  thought  it  best  to  maintain  silence. 

"  You  take  that  box  and  can  yonder,  and  go  to 
the  supply  and  oil  sheds  and  get  some  waste  and 
grease.  Slump  will  be  here  soon,  take  your 
orders  from  him  for  to-day." 

Ralph  bowed  politely  and  understandingly. 

"  I'll  tell  you  another  thing,"  went  on  Forgan 
harshly.  "  Don't  you  get  to  knowing  too  much, 
or  talking  about  it.  I'll  have  no  spying  around 
my  affairs." 

Ralph  was  astonished.  He  tried  to  catch  the 
keynote  of  the  foreman's  plaint.  Suspicion 
seemed  the  incentive  of  his  anger,  and  yet  Ralph 
could  trace  no  reason  for  it. 

An  open  doorway  led  from  one  side  of  the 
roundhouse.  Ralph  picked  up  a  heavy  sheet-iron 
pail  and  a  tin  box  with  a  handle.  Just  then  the 
helper  came  into  view. 

"Where  do  I  go  for  oil  and  waste?"  asked 
Ralph. 

The  helper  surlily  pointed  through  the  door- 


94  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

way.  Ralph  found  himself  in  a  bricked-in  pas- 
sage, slippery  with  oil,  and  leading  to  a  narrow 
yard.  On  one  side  was  a  row  of  sheds,  whose 
interior  comprised  bins  for  boxes  filled  with  all 
kinds  of  metal  fittings.  On  the  other  side  were 
like  sheds,  full  of  cans,  pails  and  barrels.  From 
here  some  men  were  conveying  barrow  loads  of 
pails  and  cans  filled  with  oil  and  grease,  and 
Ralph  went  to  an  open  door. 

Inside  was  a  grimy,  greasy  fellow  marking 
something  on  a  card  tacked  to  the  wall.  Ralph 
told  him  who  he  was,  got  both  receptacles  filled, 
and  went  back  to  the  roundhouse. 

He  sat  down  on  a  bench  and  watched  a  fireman 
go  through  the  finishing  touches  on  his  engine 
which  put  it  "  to  sleep."  The  last  whistle 
sounded,  and  in  through  the  doorway  came  Ike 
Slump. 

The  latter  was  a  wiry,  elfish  fellow,  usually 
very  volatile  and  active.  On  this  especial  morn- 
ing, however,  he  looked  ugly,  depressed  and 
wicked.  He  went  over  to  his  locker,  threw  in  his 
dinner  pail,  put  on  a  pair  of  overalls,  and  for  the 
first  time  observed  Ralph. 

"Hello!"  he  ejaculated,  taking  a  step  back- 
ward, hunching  his  shoulders,  showing  his  teeth, 
and  lurching  forward  much  with  the  pose  of  a 
prize  fighter  descending  on  an  easy  victim. 


ON  DUTY  95 

"  Good-\norning,  Ike,"  said  Ralph  pleasantly. 

Ike  Slump  indulged  in  a  vicious  snarl. 

"Morning  nothing!"  he  snapped.  "What 
you  doing  here?  " 

"  I'm  going  to  work  here." 

"Who  says  so?" 

"  The  foreman.' 

"When?" 

"  Yesterday,  and  ten  minutes  ago.  In  fact,  I 
am  waiting  to  begin  under  your  directions,  as  he 
ordered." 

"  Oh,  you  are !  "  muttered  Ike  darkly,  and  in 
hissing  long-drawn-out  accents.  "  That's  your 
lay,  is  it?     Well,  say,  do  you  see  those?  " 

Ike  glanced  keenly  about  him.  Then  advanc- 
ing, he  strutted  up  to  Ralph,  bunched  one  set  of 
coarse,  dirty  knuckles,  and  rested  them  squarely 
on  Ralph's  nose. 

Ralph  did  not  budge  for  a  second  or  two. 
When  he  did,  it  was  with  infinite  unconcern  and 
the  remark : 

"  Yes,  I  see  them,  and  a  little  soap  and  water 
wouldn't  hurt  them  any." 

"  Say!  do  you  want  to  insult  me?  say!  are  you 
spoiling  for  a  fight?  say " 

"  Keep  a  little  farther  away,  please,"  suggested 
Ralph,  putting  out  one  of  those  superbly-rounded, 
magnificently-formed  arms  of  his,  which  sent  the 


06  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

bullying  Ike  back,  stiff  and  helpless  as  if  he  was 
at  the  end  of  an  iron  rod. 

"  Say "  Ike  began  on  his  war  dance  again. 

"  This  is  too  much !  "  Then  lie  subsided  as  he 
noticed  the  foreman  cross  the  roundhouse.  "  No 
chance  now,  but  to-night,  after  work,  we'll  settle 
this!" 

"  Just  as  you  like,  Ike,''  assented  Ralph  accom- 
modatingly— "only,  drop  it  long  enough  just  now 
to  start  me  in  at  my  duties,  or  we'll  both  have  Mr. 
Forgan  in  our  hair." 

Ike  unclinched  his  fists,  but  he  continued  to 
growl  and  grumble  to  himself. 

"A  nice  sneak  you  are!"  Ralph  made  out. 
"  Thought  you'd  be  smart !  Gave  away  my  tip, 
didn't  you?  " 

"  See  here,  Ike,  what  do  you  mean?" 

"  I  mean  I  told  you  I  was  going  to  leave,  and 
you  promised  to  hang  around  and  come  on  deck 
when  I'd  had  my  pay." 

"  The  way  things  turned  out,"  said  Ralph, 
"  there  was  no  occasion  for  that." 

'*  You  bet  there  wasn't!  You  just  sneaked  the 
word  to  Forgan  double-quick,  he  told  the  old 
•  nan,  and  I  got  a  walloping,  locked  up  on  bread 
and  water  yesterday,  and  all  my  plans  scattered 
ilboi  t  leaving.  You  bet  I'll  cut  the  job  just  the 
same,  though !  "  declared  Ike,  with  a  vicious  scar 


ON  DUTY  97 

of  his  jaws.  "  Only,  you  gave  me  av/ay,  and  I'm 
going  to  pay  you  off  for  it." 

"  Ike,  you  are  very  much  mistaken.'' 

"Yah!" 

"  I  never  mentioned  what  you  told  me  to  any 
one." 

"  Cut  it  out!  We'll  settle  that  to-night.  Xow 
you  get  to  work." 

Ralph  at  last  understood  the  situation,  but  he 
saw  the  futility  of  attempting  to  convince  his 
obstinate  companion  of  his  error. 

Besides,  the  foreman  in  the  distance  was  watch- 
ing him  from  the  corner  of  one  eye,  and  Ike 
thought  it  best  to  apply  himself  to  business. 

"  You  just  watch  me  for  an  hour  or  two/'  he 
bolted  out  grudgingly. 

Ralph  did  not  spend  a  happy  forenoon.  Ike 
was  sullen,  grumpy  and  savage. 

He  made  his  helper  hold  the  grease  pail  when 
it  was  unnecessary,  till  Ralph's  arms  were  stiff", 
dropping  splotches  of  oil  on  his  shoes.  He  let  the 
exhaust  deluge  him,  as  if  by  accident,  and  refused 
to  engage  in  any  general  conversation,  nursing 
his  wrath  the  meantime. 

He  knew  how  to  clean  up  an  engine,  although, 
Ralph  divined,  in  the  most  shipshod  and  easiest 
way  that  would  pass  inspection.  Ralph  was 
learning   something,    however,    and   was   patient 


98  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

under  the  slights  Ike  put  upon  him  from  time  to 
time. 

About  eleven  o'clock  there  was  a  lull  in  active 
work. 

Mr.  Ike  Slump  lounged  on  the  bench,  indulging 
in  a  smoke  and  trying  to  look  important  and 
dangerous,  both  at  once.  Then,  as  if  casually,  he 
began  kneading  a  fat,  juicy  ball  of  waste  and 
grease,  poked  it  under  the  bench,  and  said  to 
Ralph : 

"  There's  two  switch  engines  coming  in.  You 
can  take  one  of  them,  and  see  if  you  know  how  to 
handle  it." 

"  I'll  try,"  announced  Ralph. 

"  When  you  come  to  the  bell,  give  her  a  good, 
hard  rubbing.  They'll  give  you  some  sand  at  the 
supply  shed." 

"Sand?"  repeated  Ralph  vaguely. 

"  Sure.  Dump  it  in  with  the  grease  in  the 
little  pail,  and  don't  fail  to  slap  it  on  thick  and 
plenty." 

Ralph  said  nothing.  He  started  for  the  pas- 
sageway with  more  thoughts  than  one  in  his 
mind.  As  he  shot  a  quick  glance  back  of  him, 
he  observed  Ike  leap  from  the  bench,  poke  out  the 
grease  ball,  palm  it,  and  disappear  from  his  range 
of  vision. 

Ralph  went  to  the  supply  shed  and  got  a  can 


ON  DUTY  99 

full  of  sand.  Then  he  started  back  the  way  he 
had  come. 

As  he  did  so,  he  observed  the  foreman  turn  into 
the  passage  in  front  of  him. 

Ralph  was  due  to  pass  by  him,  for  the  foreman 
was  pursuing  his  way  at  a  leisurely  gait,  but 
Ralph  did  nothing  of  the  sort. 

He  guessed  considerable  and  anticipated  more 
from  the  recent  suspicious  movements  of  his 
temporary  master,  and  smiled  slightly,  allowing 
the  foreman  to  precede  him. 

As  Tim  Forgan  stepped  through  the  doorway 
leading  into  the  roundhouse,  that  happened  which 
Ralph  Fairbanks  had  foreseen. 

His  enemy,  lying  in  wait  there  to  "  christen  " 
his  new  work  suit  as  he  had  threatened,  let  drive, 
never  doubting  but  that  the  approaching  foot- 
steps were  those  of  Ralph. 

With  a  dripping  swush  the  ball  of  waste  and 
grease  cut  through  the  air  and  took  the  round- 
house foreman  squarely  in  the  face. 


CHAPTER  XII 

IKE     SLUMP'S     REVENGE 

The  roundhouse  foreman  staggered  back  with 
a  gasp. 

The  oil  splattered  over  his  face,  neck  and  chest, 
the  waste  separated  and  dropped  down  inside  his 
vest. 

Then,  astonished,  Forgan  dashed  the  blinding 
grease  from  his  eyes,  ran  forward,  took  a  stare  in 
every  direction,  and  doubled  his  pace  with  a  roar 
like  a  maddened  bull. 

"  You  imp  of  Satan !  "  he  yelled. 

He  had  detected  Ike  Slump,  unmistakably  the 
culprit.  With  agile  springs,  fairly  terrified  at 
his  mistake,  Ike  had  taken  to  flight. 

In  his  haste  he  tripped  over  a  rail.  His 
pursuer  pounced  down  on  him  before  he  could  get 
up.  snatched  him  up  with  one  hand  by  the  collar, 
grabbed  half  a  loose  box  cover  with  another, 
dragged  him  into  the  little  office,  banged  the 
door  shut  with  his  foot,  and  the  work  of  retribu- 
tion began. 

The  men  in  the  dog  house  had  been  attracted 
100 


IKE   SLUMP'S   REVENGE  10  J 

by  the  turmoil.  Now  they  stood  gazing-  at  the 
closed  office  door. 

A  grin  ran  the  rounds,  as  from  within  escaped 
sounds  unmistakably  connected  with  the  box 
cover,  mingled  with  the  frantic  yells  of  Ike 
Slump. 

"  That  kid's  been  spoiling  for  just  this  for 
some  time,"  observed  a  gray-bearded  engineer. 

"Has  he?"  echoed  an  extra — "well,  just! 
He's  been  the  bane  of  Forgan's  life  ever  since  he 
came  here.  The  boss  had  to  keep  him  because 
Ike's  father  is  a  crony,  but  he's  getting  real  en- 
joyment for  the  privilege !  " 

There  was  nothing  malicious  in  Ralph's  nature, 
but  he  felt  that  Ike  Slump  deserved  a  lesson. 
Ralph  proceeded  calmly  on  his  way  as  though 
nothing  had  happened,  carried  his  can  of  sand 
over  to  the  bench,  mixed  it  well  in  one  of  the 
small  oil  pails,  took  up  the  other  and  some  waste, 
and  went  over  to  one  of  the  two  switch  engines 
that  had  just  come  in. 

They  stood  on  adjacent  tracks,  not  yet  run  to 
stall.  Ralph  began  his  first  task  as  a  real  wiper. 
He  had  watched  Ike  carefully,  and  it  was  no  trick 
at  all  to  follow  in  his  mechanical  groove,  and 
much  improve  his  system,  besides. 

Ralph  was  busy  on  the  bell  as  the  door  of  the 
foreman's  office  was  thrust  open. 


102  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Ike  Slump  was  as  quickly  thrust  out.  He  was 
blubbering,  limp,  and  smarting  with  pain. 

Forgan  was  red-faced  and  panting  from  his 
exertions. 

"  Now  then,"  he  said,  "  you  get  to  work,  or 
get  out  and  home  to  your  father,  just  as  you 
like." 

"  He'll  kill  me  if  I  do!  "  came  from  Ike. 

'  He  ought  to.     Hustle  there,  now !  " 

Ike  went  to  the  bench,  picked  up  the  grease 
pail,  and  climbed  to  the  cabin  of  the  other  switch 
engine. 

He  cast  an  angry  glance  at  Ralph. 

"  Played  it  smart,  didn't  you !  "  he  snarled. 

"  You  shouldn't  complain,"  answered  Ralph 
calmly. 

"Wait  till  to-night!" 

"  I'm  waiting,"  tranquilly  rejoined  Ralph, 
poising  back  to  view  about  as  fine  a  shimmer  to 
the  bell  he  was  working  on  as  oil  and  waste  and 
elbow  grease  could  produce. 

Meantime,  Ike  had  blindly,  savagely  slapped  a 
coat  of  grease  on  the  bell  opposite. 

A  yell  went  up  from  his  wrathful  lips  as  he 
applied  the  waste. 

He  nearly  had  a  fit  and  if  he  could  have  found 
a  loose  missile  he  would  doubtless  have  thrown 
it  at  Ralph. 


IKE  SLUMP'S  REVENGE  103 

"  Confound  you !  "  he  hissed.  "  Oh,  I'll  get 
you  yet !  " 

"  I'm  here,"  said  Ralph.  "  What's  up.  You 
said  sand  was  good  for  the  bell.     Is  it?  " 

"  Say,  you  wait !  oh,  say,  you  wait !  "  foamed 
Ike. 

Both  worked  their  way  simultaneously  into  the 
cabs,  the  upper  wiping  done.  Ralph  watched 
his  fellow-worker.  The  locomotives  had  been 
dumped,  but  there  was  still  enough  steam  to  run 
them  to  bed. 

"  Soon  as  I  run  her  in,"  announced  Ike  malev- 
olently across  the  two-foot  space  between  the 
engines,  "  I'm  going  to  jump  my  job." 

Ralph  said  nothing.  Ike  had  put  his  hand  on 
the  lever,  intending  evidently  to  slow  back  the 
locomotive  to  its  stall.  Ralph  was  expected  to 
do  the  same  with  the  other  engine. 

"  But  I'll  be  laying  for  you  at  quitting  time, 
and  with  the  bunch,  don't  you  forget  it!  "  supple- 
mented Ike. 

Ralph  gave  the  lever  a  touch,  the  wheels 
started,  but  instantly  he  shut  off  steam. 

Glancing  sideways  and  out  through  the  open 
front  of  the  roundhouse,  his  eyes  met  a  sight  that 
would  have  paralyzed  some  people,  but  which 
acted  on  his  impetuous  nature  like  a  shock  of 
electricity. 


104  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

With  one  leap  lie  cleared  the  cab,  in  two 
springs  he  had  reached  the  doorway.  The 
startled  Ike  Slump  saw  him  disappear  behind  the 
locomotive.     His  bead-like  eyes  glowed. 

Now  was  his  chance.  Leaning  over  between 
the  two  locomotives,  he  touched  the  lever  Ralph 
had  just  shut  off.  The  locomotive  started  to- 
wards its  stall. 

Directing  his  own  forward,  it  went  on  its  di- 
verging course  at  routine  slow  speed. 

This  cleared  the  view  from  dog  house  and 
office.  At  that  moment  the  foreman's  strident 
tones  belched  out : 

"  Stop  her!     Where's  the  wiper?  " 

All  eyes  saw  that  the  second  locomotive  was 
not  manned.  Some  had  witnessed  Ralph's  sensa- 
tional disappearance. 

Three  or  four  made  a  run  for  the  unguided 
locomotive.  The  foremost  of  the  group  sprang 
into  the  cab  just  as  the  tender  struck  the  circular 
outer  wall  of  the  roundhouse. 

He  halted  the  engine,  but  not  until  the  tender 
had  smashed  a  hole  out  to  daylight,  taking  one 
big  window  upon  its  back,  and  buried  the  rails 
under  half  a  ton  of  brick  and  mortar. 

Ike  Slump  descended  from  his  locomotive 
serene  as  summer  skies,  as  Forgan  rushed  up  to 
the  scene. 


IKE   SLUMP'S   REI'ENGE  105 

"Where's  the  smart- Aleck  that  did  that!" 
roared  the  foreman. 

He  was  fairly  distracted  with  the  accumulating 
disturbances  of  the  hour. 

"  Dunno.  Got  scared  at  hearing  the  steam 
hiss,  I  guess,  and  run  for  it,"  said  Ike. 

Tim  Forgan  paced  up  and  down  the  planks,  a 
smoldering  volcano  of  wrath. 

"  There  he  is  now,"  piped  Ike,  hugging  himself 
with  delight,  as  he  considered  that  he  had  turned 
the  tables  on  Ralph. 

The  foreman  dashed  towards  the  entrance  of 
the  roundhouse.  Sure  enough,  Ralph  had  come 
into  view. 

Half  a  dozen  persons  were  straggling  after 
him,  and  some  unusual  commotion  was  evidently 
rife  among  them,  but  the  infuriated  roundhouse 
foreman  at  the  moment  had  eyes  only  for  the 
object  of  his  rage. 

Ralph's  face  was  as  white  as  chalk,  he  was  out 
of  breath,  one  arm  of  his  jacket  was  torn  away, 
and  from  the  elbow  to  the  finger  tips  there  was  a 
long,  bleeding  scratch. 

The  foreman  ran  up  to  him,  and  almost  jerked 
him  off  his  feet  as  he  caught  him  by  the  arm. 

"  You  young  blunderer!  "  he  roared — "  look  at 
your  work!     Five  hundred  dollars  damage!" 

Ralph   seemed   in   an   uncomprehending  daze. 


106  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

and  failed  to  take  in  the  wrathful  sweep  of  For- 
gan's  arm  towards  the  dismantled  wall. 

"  I'll  give  you  the  same  dose  I  gave  that  young 
imp,  Slump!"  shouted  Forgan,  losing  all  control 
of  himself. 

He  began  to  drag  Ralph  towards  the  office. 
The  latter  had  acted  as  if  about  to  faint!  Now 
his  senses  seemed  to  arouse  abruptly. 

Ralph  braced  back.  His  eyes  swept  the  crowd 
about  him.  He  caught  sight  of  Ike  Slump's 
gloating  face,  and  beyond  him  the  wrecked  wall. 

"  Wait !  "  he  said  faintly,  and  then  with  more 
firmness  of  tone:  "  Stop!  what  do  you  accuse  me 
of?" 

"Accuse  you  of?"  roared  the  foreman. 
"  Hear  him !  I  suppose  you  pretend  not  to  see 
your  work.  Look  at  that  wall,  look  at  that 
engine " 

"  I  didn't  do  it,"  declared  Ralph  positively, 
catching  on  for  the  first  time. 

"  Oh,  I  won't  listen  to  such  rot!  "  fumed  For- 
gan. "  You  get  out  good  and  quick,  but  I'll 
give  you  something  to  remember  if  by  before  you 
do." 

"  Stop !  "  again  spoke  Ralph,  and  this  time  it 
was  a  command.  "  You  are  accusing  me  of 
something  I  know  nothing  about,  Mr.  Forgan. 
Let  go  my  arm." 


IKE   SLUMP'S   REVENGE  107 

"  Why,  you  impudent  young  jackanapes !  I'll 
lick  the  daylight  out  of  you  now,  just  to  drive 
some  truth  into  you !  " 

"Don't  you  dare  to  touch  me!"  cried  Ralph. 
He  was  fully  aroused  now.  The  natural  glitter 
had  returned  to  his  eye,  and  with  a  quick  move  he 
jerked  free  from  the  grasp  of  the  foreman, 
powerful  as  it  was.  "  I  allow  no  man  to  punish 
me  for  what  I  did  not  do,  and  this  is  a  place 
where  we  stand  as  man  to  man." 

The  foreman  had  been  surprised  at  Ralph's 
exhibition  of  genuine  strength,  but  that  mani- 
festation had  only  served  to  increase  his  rage. 

In  positive  fury  he  posed  for  a  savage  spring 
at  Ralph.  The  latter  put  both  hands  on  the  de- 
fensive. His  lips  were  firmly  compressed.  He 
did  not  wish  to  imperil  his  position  by  fighting 
with  a  superior,  but  he  was  determined  to  stand 
on  his  rights. 

At  that  moment,  in  advance  of  the  pressing 
crowd  outside,  big  Denny  Sloan,  the  yard  watch- 
man, came  into  view. 

"  Drop  that,  Tim  Forgan !  "  he  ordered  quickly. 
"  Don't  touch  that  boy,  or  you'll  be  sorry  for  it 
to  your  dying  day !  " 


CHAPTER  XIII 

MAKING     HIS     WAY 

Big  Denny  confronted  the  roundhouse  fore- 
man, an  obstructing  block  in  his  path.  He  was 
one  of  the  heaviest  men  in  the  service,  built  like 
an  ox,  and  immensely  good-natured. 

Just  now,  however,  he  was  also  immensely  ex- 
cited and  serious,  and  the  crowd  stared  at  him 
curiously,  and  at  Forgan  in  an  astonished  way. 

"  This  is  none  of  your  business.  Don't  you 
interfere,  don't  you  try  to  shield  that  miserable 
blunderer!''  shouted  the  foreman. 

"  Hold  on,  Tim,"  advised  the  watchman,  put- 
ting out  his  big  arm,  and  abruptly  checking  For- 
gan  in  a  forward  dash. 

"Do  you  know  what  he's  done!"  howled 
Forgan. 

"Do  you?" 

"  Do  I " 


"  I  guess  you  don't,  Tim,"  said  Big  Denny 
quietly.  "  Just  you  cool  down.  This  way,  boys  " 
called  the  watchman  into  the  crowd  at  his 
heels.     "  Keep  cool,  Tim — there's  no  harm  done. 

108 


MAKING   HIS    IV AY  10& 

but  there  might  have  been  if  Fairbanks  here 
wasn't  quicker  than  lightning,  and  a  brave  young 
hero,  besides !  " 

The  crowd  parted,  a  switchman  came  into 
view.  He  carried  in  his  arms,  white  and  limp,  a 
little  girl  about  ten  years  of  age. 

Hanging  by  the  neck  ribbon  was  her  pretty 
summer  hat,  crushed  and  cut  squarely  in  two. 
One  temple  was  somewhat  disfigured,  and  her 
dress  was  soiled  with  roadbed  dust  and  grime. 

Tim  Forgan  looked  once  and  his  jaws 
dropped.  He  shuddered  as  if  some  one  had  dealt 
him  a  blow,  and  staggered  where  he  stood,  his 
face  turning  to  a  sickly  gray. 

"Nora!"  he  gasped — "my  little  Nora! 
Denny — boys  !  she  is  hurt — dead !  " 

"  Neither,"  answered  the  big  watchman 
promptly,  placing  a  soothing  hand  on  the  fore- 
man's quivering  arm.    "  Steady,  old  man,  now !  " 

"  Give  her  to  me ! "  shouted  Forgan,  in  a 
frenzy.  "  Nora,  my  little  Nora !  What  has 
happened?  what  has  happened?" 

The  big  fellow  had  one  idol,  one  warm  corner 
in  his  heart — his  little  grandchild. 

His  rugged  brow  corrugated,  and  he  was  fran- 
tic beyond  all  reason  as  he  covered  the  still  white 
face  with  kisses,  nestling  the  motionless  child  in 
his  arms  tenderly. 


110  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Take  her  into  the  office,"  directed  Denny. 
"  Give  her  air,  lads — and  get  some  cold  water, 
some  of  you." 

He  blocked  the  doorway  with  his  bulky  frame 
as  the  foreman  and  his  charge  passed  through, 
admitting  a  moment  later  a  switchman  with  a  can 
of  water,  and  two  of  the  older  engineers  at  his 
heels. 

Then  he  closed  the  door,  and  looked  around  for 
Ralph.  The  latter  had  sunk  to  a  bench,  still  pale 
and  faint-looking.  The  lame  helper  was  ran- 
sacking his  locker.  Coming  thence  with  some 
clean  waste  and  a  bottle  of  liniment,  he  snatched 
up  a  pail,  went  outside,  got  some  warm  water 
from  a  locomotive,  and  approached  Ralph. 

Ralph  regarded  him  in  some  wonder,  but  made 
no  demur  as  the  strange,  silent  fellow  began  to 
wash  and  dress  his  injured  arm  with  a  touch  soft 
and  careful  as  that  of  a  woman. 

Big  Denny  continued  to  stand  on  guard  at  the 
closed  door  of  the  foreman's  little  office. 

The  crowd  from  the  outside  was  exchanging 
information  with  the  roundhouse  throng,  trying 
to  patch  mutual  disclosures  together  into  some 
coherency. 

Ike  Slump's  look  of  malevolent  gratification 
had  faded  away.  He  began  to  surmise  that 
Ralph  had  a  purpose  in  so  summarily  deserting 


MAKING   HIS   IV AY  m 

his  post,  and  that  the  anticipated  "  turning-  of  the 
fables  "  was  not  destined  to  materialize. 

"  What's  the  rights  of  things,  Denny?''  asked 
one  of  the  engineers.  "  That  was  little  Nora 
Forgan,  wasn't  it !  " 

"  Sure — and  you  know  what  she  is  to  gruff  old 
Tim,  apple  of  his  eye.  If  anything  happened  to 
her,  I  believe  he'd  go  mad." 

"  He's  pretty  near  there  now,  with  his  tan- 
trums !  "  volunteered  a  voice  from  the  crowd. 

"  I  think  this  will  cure  him  a  bit,"  said  Denny. 
"  The  little  one  has  been  bringing  him  his  dinner 
lately,  you  know.  A  child  like  that  has  no  busi- 
ness along  the  tracks,  but  he  usually  had  her  come 
back  of  the  roundhouse,  where  there  wasn't  so 
much  risk.  This  time,  I  suppose  she  feared  she'd 
be  late,  and  crossed  over  the  busiest  switches. 
My  heart  stood  still,  lads,  when,  ten  minutes 
since,  five  hundred  feet  away  from  her,  I  saw  her 
trip,  fall,  strike  her  head  on  the  rails,  and  lay  there 
stunned,  squarely  in  the  way  of  a  dead-end 
freight,  coming." 

Big  Denny  squirmed  with  real  feeling  in  his 
powerful,  husky  voice,  as  he  dabbed  the  perspira- 
tion from  his  brow. 

"  Next  thing,  I  saw  a  flash  come  out  through 
the  roundhouse  door  here.     It  was — him!  " 

Mechanically  the  crowd  turned.    Twenty  pairs 


112  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

of  eyes  rested  on  Ralph,  whom  Denny  had  pointed 
out. 

''Yes.  sir — it  was  him,  young  Fairbanks! 
He's  got  the  right  blood  in  him,  that  kid.  I  knew 
his  father,  and  he  wouldn't  be  Jack  Fairbanks' 
son  if  he  hadn't  acted  just  as  he  did!  " 

No  comment  could  have  pleased  Ralph  more 
than  that.  He  darted  ?.  grateful  look  at  his 
bulky  champion. 

"  No  one  any  good  seemed  to  have-  noticed  the 
accident  except  him,"  went  on  Denny,  £Ue  eyes  of 
his  absorbed  auditors  again  riveted  intently  upon 
him.  "  I  counted  the  seconds  in  a  sort  of  sickly 
horror,  for  it  seemed  impossible  tha  he  could 
make  it  in  time.1' 

"  But  he  did!  "  cried  a  strained  voice. 

"  He  did — it  was  terrifying.  The  last  ten 
feet  he  saw  his  only  chance.  It  was  like  a  fellow 
sliding  for  base.  Flat  he  dived  and  drove.  It 
must  have  been  an  awful  scrape!  The  first 
wheels  of  the  backing  car  fairly  reached  the  little 
angel's  long,  golden  curls.  As  it  was,  they  cut 
the  dangling  hat  straight  in  two.  Fie  grabbed 
her,  just  escaping  the  wheels,  no-;  c.  second  too 
j-oon." 

With  a  working  face  the  lame  helper  had  stood 
'listening,  rooted  to  the  spot  like  a  statue. 

The  crowd  swayed  towards  Ralph.    They  were 


MAKING   HIS   WAY  113 

all  in  one  uniform  mood  of  admiration  for  his 
nervy  exploit,  only  they  expressed  it  in  different 
ways. 

A  dozen  shook  his  hand  till  they  nearly  wrung 
it  off ;  a  big,  bluff  fireman,  with  a  fist  like  a  ham, 
slapped  his  shoulders  so  exuberantly  that  the  con- 
tact nearly  drove  the  breath  out  of  his  body. 

"  As  to  that  little  heap  of  rubbish,"  observed 
Big  Denny,  with  lofty  contempt  indicating  the 
broken  brick  wall — "  I  reckon  Tim  Forgan  won't 
let  that  count  against  the  life  of  that  child." 

Ralph  arose  to  his  feet. 

"  But  I  didn't  do  it,"  he  asseverated. 

"  Don't  you  worry  about  trifles,  kid,"  advisee? 
Denny. 

"  But  I  didn't!  "  insisted  Ralph. 

Denny  looked  annoyed.  He  wished  to  dismiss 
the  subject  peremptorily  while  his  hero  was  still 
on  the  pedestal,  and,  human-like,  he  believed 
Ralph  was  trying  to  square  himself  at  the  cost  of 
a  lame  explanation,  or  a  lie. 

"  That's — that's  right,"  suddenly  interposed  a 
quavering  voice. 

"  Hello!  "  laughed  Denny,  turning  to  confront 
the  sphinx-like  helper,  whose  taciturnity  was 
proverbial.     "  You'll  be  making  a  speech,  next!  " 

"  Yes,"  bolted  out  the  lame  helper,  very  much 
agitated  over  his  own  unusual  temerity. 


114  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Give  it  a  voice,  Limpy." 

"  He  didn't  do  it." 

"Didn't  do  what?" 

"  Run  that  engine  into  the  wall." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  saw  him — he  started  her  up,  but  shut  her 
off,  dead,  before  he  jumped  for  the  tracks  and  ran 
outside." 

Ralph  looked  surprised,  but  pleased,  Big  Denny 
convinced,  and  the  crowd  tremendously  in- 
terested. 

On  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd  Ike  Slump  gave 
ear,  perked  up  his  face  in  a  grimace,  and  a  minute 
later  sneaked  out  of  the  place. 

"  Saw  the  whole  thing,"  declared  Limpy. 
"  Fellow  in  the  next  engine  leaned  over  soon  as 
Fairbanks  left,  slipped  the  lever,  and  let  her 
drive." 

"  Who  was  it  ? "  demanded  the  watchman 
indignantly. 

"  Slump,  the  scamp." 

"Where  is  he?" 

The  crowd  made  a  search,  but  it  was  unavail- 
ing— Ike  Slump  had  "  jumped  his  job  "  per- 
manently, to  all  appearances,  for  his  locker  was 
empty. 

The  fireman  came  out  of  the  office. 

"  She's   all   right,"    he   announced   to   Denny, 


MAKING   HIS   WAY  H5 

"but  the  old  man's  terribly  broken  up.  Better 
go  in  and  give  him  a  word." 

"  All  right,"  said  Denny — "  you  come,  too, 
Fairbanks." 

"  I'd  rather  not,"  said  Ralph — "  I've  got  work 
to  do." 

"  You  take  a  rest  and  eat  your  dinner  before 
you  do  anything  else,"  advised  the  big  watchman. 

The  noon  whistle  sounded  just  then  and  dis- 
persed the  crowd.  Ralph  went  over  to  a  bench 
and  brought  out  his  dinner  pail. 

His  arm  was  sore  and  smarting,  but  he  was  not 
at  all  seriously  crippled,  and  he  sat  thoughtfully 
eating  his  lunch  and  wondering  how  the  damage 
to  the  wall  would  be  repaired. 

Ralph  noticed  the  two  engineers  leave  the 
office,  then  Big  Denny.  The  latter  had  hold  of 
the  hand  of  little  Nora. 

He  led  the  way  up  to  Ralph.  Limpy  had  just 
taken  his  seat  on  the  other  end  of  the  bench. 

"  I'm  going  to  take  her  home,"  said  the  watch- 
man. "  Nora,  do  you  know  who  this  young 
gentleman  is?  " 

The  little  girl  looked  still  pale  and  frightened, 
but  except  for  the  torn  dress  and  hat  and  a  dark 
bruise  on  her  forehead  seemed  none  the  worse 
for  her  recent  perilous  experience. 

"  No,  sir,"  she  said  shyly. 


116  RALPH  OF   THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

"  It's  Ralph  Fairbanks.     He  saved  your  life." 

"  Oh,  sir!  did  you?  did  you?"  she  cried,  run- 
ning up  to  Ralph.  She  put  her  arms  around  his 
neck  and  kissed  him,  the  tears  running  down  her 
cheeks.  "  When  I  tell  mamma,  she'll  come  down 
and  thank  you,  too!"  she  continued  and  then 
passed  on. 

Ralph  was  affected  by  the  incident.  His  heart 
warmed  up  as  he  reflected  how  the  tide  of  feeling 
had  changed  towards  him  in  the  past  hour. 
Then,  reaching  for  his  lunch  pail,  his  hand  un- 
expectedly came  in  contact  with  a  big,  juicy 
square  of  pie.     The  lame  helper  had  disappeared. 

It  was  a  further  tribute  from  that  strange, 
silent  man,  and  it  told  Ralph  unmistakably  that 
beyond  that  grim  wall  of  reserve  was  probably 
hidden  a  heart  of  gold. 

The  excitement  and  rough  usage  of  the  morn- 
ing had  used  up  Ralph  considerably.  He  felt  the 
need  of  fresh  air,  put  aside  his  dinner  pail,  and 
started  for  the  outside. 

Just  then,  the  helper  came  across  to  him  from 
the  direction  of  the  little  office. 

"  Wanted,"  he  said  sententiously.  "  Foreman 
wants  to  see  you." 


CHAPTER  XIV 


_j 


RALPH     FAIRBANKS      REQUEST 

Ralph  felt  the  sense  of  a  crisis  strong  upon 
him.  Circumstances  had  given  some  stormy 
features  to  the  morning's  progress,  but  had 
cleared  the  air  generally. 

He  believed,  all  told,  that  he  had  carried  off 
the  honors  quite  creditably,  and  was  in  a  measure 
master  of  the  situation. 

When  he  came  to  the  office  door  it  was  partly 
open,  but  he  knocked. 

"  Come  in,"  spoke  the  foreman's  voice,  a  good 
leal  toned  down  from  its  usual  accents  of  asper- 
ity. 

Tim  Forgan  stood  over  near  the  window,  his 
back  turned  to  Ralph.  His  hands,  clasped  be- 
hind him,  fumbled  nervously.  He  was  palpably 
in  a  disturbed  mood,  and  from  the  vague  view 
Ralph  had  of  his  side  face  he  noted  it  was  pale 
and  anxious-looking. 

"  Sit  down,"  directed  the  foreman.  He  stood 
in  the  same  position  for  nearly  a  minute.  Then 
very  abruptly  he  turned,  came  up  to  Ralph,  ex- 
117 


118  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

tended  his  hand  as  if  with  an  effort,  and  said, 
almost  brokenly : 

"  Fairbanks,  I  want  to  thank  yon  for  what  you 
have  done  for  me  and  mine." 

"  I  am  glad  I  did  it,''  answered  Ralph  simply. 

The  foreman  sank  into  a  chair,  started  to  speak, 
arose,  paced  the  floor  restlessly,  finally  halted  in 
front  of  Ralph,  and  looked  him  squarely  in  the 
face. 

"  Fairbanks,"  he  said,  "  I  believe  I  have  done 
you  an  injustice.  Don't  answer.  Let  me  speak 
while  the  mood  is  on  me.  I  am  a  proud  man. 
and  it's  hard  for  me  to  root  out  my  settled  sus- 
picions. I  won't  say  they  are  all  gone  yet,  but 
after  what  has  happened  it  would  be  wrong  and 
churlish  for  me  to  hold  back  what  is  on  my  lips. 
When  you  came  here  this  morning,  I  was 
satisfied  that  you  came  here  as  a  spy  upon  my 
actions." 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Forgan !  "  explained  Ralph  involun- 
tarily. 

"  And  I  prepared  to  treat  you  as  a  spy.  I  have 
had  trouble  with  the  master  mechanic,  off  and  on 
— that  is,  Ave  are  rivals  in  the  race  for  the  pres- 
idency of  the  local  labor  council,  and  Ike  Slump's 
father,  when  I  told  him  about  your  card  from  the 
master  mechanic,  scented  a  plot  at  once." 

"  Why,    Mr.    Forgan !    exclaimed    Ralph    in 


RALPH   FAIRBANKS'   REQUEST  119 

amazement,  "  I  never  saw  the  master  mechanic 
until  night  before  last,  then  only  for  less  than  two 
minutes,  and  my  meeting  with  him  was  purely 
accidental." 

The  roundhouse  foreman  looked  Ralph  through 
and  through. 

"  I  believe  you,  Fairbanks,"  he  said,  at  length. 
"  You  don't  look  like  the  lying,  sneaking  sort, 
and  Denny  says  he'd  bank  his  soul  on  you.  He 
says  I've  got  bad,  crafty  advisers.  Maybe  so, 
maybe  so,"  went  on  Forgan,  half  to  himself. 
"  I  wish  I'd  kept  out  of  the  labor  ring.  It  makes 
one  fancy  half  his  friends  enemies.  Drop  that, 
though.  I've  made  my  confession,  and  I  believe 
you're  square.  I've  sent  for  you  to  exonerate 
you  from  all  part  in  the  smash-up,  and  to  tell  you 
that  I  owe  you  a  debt  I  can  never  pay.  I'll  try 
to  square  some  of  it,  though.  Fairbanks,  you 
shall  stay  here,  and  I  shall  give  you  more  than  a 
chance  to  forge  ahead." 

"  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Forgan,"  said  Ralph  grate- 
fully. 

The  foreman  strode  over  to  the  window  again. 
Ralph  studied  this  strange  make-up  of  real  force, 
dark  suspicions  and  ungovernable  impulses,  but 
did  not  appear  to  watch  him.  In  a  covert  way, 
with  a  sidelong  glance  at  Ralph,  the  foreman 
opened  the  door  of  a  little  closet,  took  out  a  dark 


120  RALPH    OF    THE    ROl'.YDHOCSE 

bottle,  and  Ralph  could  hear  the  gurgling  dis- 
patch of  a  long,  deep  draught. 

He  had  overheard  some  of  the  men  in  the  dog 
house  hinting  at  the  boss'  failing,  that  morning. 
Now,  Ralph  kenw  what  it  was,  and  the  discovery 
depressed  him. 

The  stimulating  draught  seemed  to  restore  the 
foreman's  equilibrium,  for  in  a  minute  or  two, 
when  he  again  addressed  Ralph,  his  old  half- 
dignified,  half-autocratic  manner  had  returned  to 
him. 

"  We  shall  have  no  more  Ike  Slump  here, 
father  or  no  father,"  he  observed.  "  I'm  going 
to  give  you  a  chance,  Fairbanks." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Forgan." 

"  Keep  on  as  wiper  till  I  get  a  new  helper,  and 
I'll  give  you  a  boost  into  an  extra  berth  quicker 
than  any  boy  ever  shot  up  the  roundhouse  laddei 
before.  I  tell  you,  I'll  never  forget  what  you've 
done  for  me — and  my  dear  little  Nora!  " 

Ralph  arose. 

"  Mr.  Forgan,"  he  said,  "  I  am  much  obliged  to 
you,  and  I  hope  I  shall  deserve  and  win  your 
good  opinion.  But  I  want  to  earn  my  way.  I 
don't  wish  to  slip  over  one  single  branch  of  the 
course  that  will  make  a  thorough,  all-around, 
first-class  railroad  man  out  of  me,  and  too  fast 
promotion  might  spotf  me." 


RALPH  FAIRBANKS7  REQUEST  121 

The  foreman  understood  him,  but  the  iiquor 
had  exhilarated  him,  and  he  said: 

"All  the  same,  I'm  your  friend  for  life,  Fair- 
banks— and  I  give  you  my  word,  when  you  ask 
me  a  favor,  I'll  grant  it." 

Ralph  bowed  and  proceeded  towards  the  door. 
Forgan  was  back  at  the  closet  almost  immedi- 
ately, Ralph  wavered.  He  formed  a  quick  reso- 
lution, and  stepped  back  into  the  room  just  a? 
*.he  foreman  turned,  wiping  off  his  lips. 

"Mr.  Forgan,"  said  Ralph,  "you  will  not  bQ 
Dffended  at  something  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  say?" 

"Not  a  bit  of  it,"  pledged  the  foreman. 

"You  said  I  might  ask  you  a  favor." 

"Just  name  it,  Fairbanks." 

"I  shall,  but  first,  I  want  to  say  this:  You  are 
ai  a  fine,  responsible  position  here,  and  your  con- 
trol and  your  influence  affect  every  man  in  your 
service." 

"I  worked  hard  for  the  job,"  asserted  Forgar 
proudly. 

"I  know  you  must  have  done  that,"  said  Ralph, 
"and  I  also  know  you  must  have  had  good  abil- 
ities to  step  so  high  over  the  heads  cf  others. 
But  sometimes,  Mr.  Forgan — you  will  acknowl- 
edge it  yourself — your  temper,  your  impulses, 
your  suspicions  get  the  better  of  you." 

Ralph  was  treading  on  dangerous  ground.     He 


122  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

realized  it,  for  a  certain  quick  flash  came  into 
Forgan's  eyes.  It  was  quenched,  however,  at  an 
evident  memory  of  the  incident  of  the  morning; 
and  the  foreman  spoke,  quite  gayly : 

"  Go  ahead,  I'll  listen.     I  see  your  drift." 

'  You  have  lots  of  friends,  sir — try  and  know 
the  real  ones.  And,  Mr.  Forgan,  now  for  the 
favor  I  have  to  ask." 

The  foreman's  bushy  brows  met  in  a  suspicious 
way,  but  he  declared  promptly : 

"  You  have  only  to  ask." 

"  You  will  grant  it?" 

"  For  little  Nora's  sake,  lad,  I'd  give  you  half 
I  own ! " 

"  I  don't  want  that,  Mr.  Forgan.  The  favor  I 
have  to  ask  is — don't  drink." 

It  was  out,  with  an  effort — Ralph  had  placed 
a  pleading  hand  on  the  foreman's  arm.  He  felt 
Forgan  start  and  quiver.  Would  he  burst  into 
one  of  his  uncontrollable  fits  of  passion  and  storm 
and  rave,  and  probably  assault  him  ? 

The  climax  delayed  so  long  that  Ralph  ven- 
tured another  appeal. 

''For  little  Nora's  sake,  Mr.  Forgan!"  he 
pleaded. 

"  Boy,  you  have  said  enough — go!  go!  "  spoke 
Forgan    huskily. 

He  almost  pushed  Ralph  from  the  room.     The 


RALPH   FAIRBANKS'  REQUEST  123 

door  went  shut,  with  Ralph  standing-  outside,  his 
breath  coming  quickly,  for  the  episode  had  been 
one  of  intense  strain. 

Ralph  sighed.  Had  he  gone  too  far?  The 
sincerity  of  his  wish  for  the  foreman's  good  told 
him  he  had  not. 

In  the  little  office  he  could  hear  Forgan  strid- 
ing to  and  fro.     Suddenly  there  was  a  halt. 

Then  came  a  crash.  If  only  for  the  time  being, 
Tim  Forgan  had  been  influenced  to  a  holy,  benef- 
icent decision.  He  had  shattered  the  wretched 
black  bottle  to  atoms. 

"  Thank  God !  "  breathed  the  young  railroader 
feryently. 


CHAPTER  XV 
"  van  " 

When  the  one  o'clock  whistle  sounded,  Ralpr 
started  over  for  the  engine  stalls. 

"  Hold  on !  "  challenged  the  lame  helper,  sud- 
denly appearing  in  his  usual  extraordinary  way. 

"  What's  the  trouble?  "  asked  Ralph. 

"  Boss  says  you're  on  the  sick  list." 

"But  I'm  not!"  declared  Ralph  with  a  smile 
and  mock-valiantly  waving  his  injured  arm. 

"  Says  you're  to  go  home,  and  report  in  morn- 
ing. 

"  But  I  can't  do  that,"  demurred  Ralph. 

"  Must — orders." 

"  It  would  worry  my  mother,  she  would  think 
something  serious  was  wrong  with  me,  while  I 
feel  as  well  as  I  ever  did  in  my  life — yes,  better, 
even,"  insisted  Ralph. 

"  Well,  you're  not  to  work,  boss  says — you  can 
loaf,  if  you  like." 

"  That's  something  I  don't  fancy." 

"  Then  watch  me,  and  I'll  show  you  some 
things." 

124 


"VAN"  125 

"  Good ! "  assented  Ralph.  "  If  they  are  bound 
to  have  me  invalided,  at  least  let  me  learn  some- 
thing in  the  meantime." 

Limpy  did  not  talk  much,  but  after  an  hour  of 
his  company  Rslph  voted  him  a  wonder. 

There  must  be  some  vivid  history  back  of  the 
man,  Ralph  theorized,  for  there  were  sparkles  of 
real  genuius  here  and  there  in  his  movements  and 
explanations  of  the  next  two  hours 

He  showed  Ralph  the  true  merits  and  econom- 
ics of  the  wiper's  avocation  in  a  quick,  practical 
way  that  proved  Ike  Slump  was  a  novice  and  a 
bungler. 

Then  the  helper  took  Ralph  under  his  special 
tuition  higher  up  in  the  scale. 

Ralph  was  in  a  real  transport  of  delighted  in- 
terest as  the  lame  helper  taught  him  the  first 
principles  of  preparing,  running  and  controlling  a 
locomotive. 

He  did  something  more  than  control  a  throttle 
or  move  a  lever — he  explained  why  this  and  that 
was  done,  and  demonstrated  cause  and  effect  in  a 
clear-cut  way  that  gave  Ralph  more  real,  sound 
information  in  two  hours  than  he  could  have 
gained  from  the  study  of  books  in  as  many 
months. 

The  foreman  passed  in  and  out  of  the  place 
several  times  during  the  afternoon,  but  seemed 


126  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

almost  studiously  to  avoid  contact  or  conversa- 
tion with  Ralph. 

About  four  o'clock  the  helper,  busy  wheeling 
away  the  broken  bricks  from  the  hole  in  the  wall, 
nudged  Ralph  meaningly. 

"  Slump's  old  man,"  he  said  tersely. 

Glancing  towards  the  office,  Ralph  saw  a 
coarse-featured,  disorderly  looking  man  convers- 
ing with  the  foreman. 

The  latter  was  cool,  dignified  and  evidently 
laying  down  the  law  in  an  unmistakably  clear 
manner  to  his  visitor,  who  shrugged  his  shoul- 
ders, pounded  his  palms  together,  and  seemed 
wroth  and  worked  up  over  the  situation  they  were 
discussing. 

Ralph  knew  that  Slump  senior  ran  a  saloon 
just  beyond  the  freight  sheds,  and  was  glad  to 
see  him  go  off  alone  and  evidently  disgruntled 
and  fancied  he  caught  an  expression  on  Forgan's 
face  indicating  that  he  had  done  his  duty  and  was 
C^lad  of  it. 

"  Bad  lot,"  commented  Limpy,  coming  back 
.'or  some  more  bricks. 

"  Foreman?  " 

"  No,  Slump.  It  was  two  of  his  poison  drinks 
lOiir  years  ago  that  sent  me  heme  one  night  on 
the  wrong  tracks,  crippled  me  for  life,  lost  me 
tny  run,  and  made  a  pensioned  drudge  of  me  for 


"VAN"  127 

the  rest  of  my  years,"  declared  the  helper  bit- 
terly. 

By  five  o'clock  the  debris  had  been  cleared 
away  from  the  break  in  the  roundhouse  wall,  the 
derailed  locomotive  backed  to  place,  and  things 
ready  for  the  masons  to  repair  the  damage  in  the 
morning. 

Ralph  was  walking  away  from  a  cursory  in- 
spection of  the  spot,  when  a  whistle  sounded 
directly  outside.     Then  a  hissing  voice  echoed : 

"Hey,  Slump!" 

Ralph  turned.  A  man  was  moving  around  the 
edge  of  the  break  in  the  wall. 

"  I'm  not  Slump,"  announced  Ralph.  Then 
he  recognized  the  stranger.  It  was  the  tramp- 
like individual  who  had  come  after  Ike  Slump's 
dinner  pail  two  nights  previous. 

"  Oh !  "  he  now  said,  drawing  back  in  a  suspi- 
cious, embarrassed  manner.     "Where's  Ike?" 

"  He  has  gone  home,  I  suppose,"  answered 
Ralph. 

"  Didn't — that  is,  he  hasn't  left  his  dinner  pail 
for  me,  has  he?  "  floundered  the  tramp. 

"  No,  he  took  it  with  him.  At  any  rate,  his 
locker  is  empty." 

"All  right,"  muttered  the  fellow,  edging  away. 

Ralph  remembered  that  heavily-weighted  din- 
ner  pail   of   Ike   Slump's   with   some   suspicion. 


128  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUXDHOUSE 

Stili,  Ike's  explanation  of  famishing  the  man 
with  a  daily  lunch  looked  plausible. 

"  Hold  on/'  called  Ralph  after  the  receding 
form. 

"What  is  it?"  inquired  the  tramp,  wheeling 
about. 

"  I'll  help  you  out — wait  a  minute." 

Ralph  hurried  to  his  locker.  Fully  half  of  his 
noonday  lunch  had  been  left  untasted.  He 
bundled  up  the  fragments  and  returned  to  the 
break  in  the  wall. 

"  Here's  a  bite,"  said  Ralph. 

"  Thank  you,"  growled  the  tramp  gruffly,  tak- 
ing the  proffered  lunch. 

A.  minute  later  Ralph  was  summoned  to  a 
bench  placed  under  the  windows  at  the  south 
curve  of  the  building. 

Limpy  stood  on  the  bench,  looking  out. 

"  Come  here,"  he  directed.     "  No  use!  " 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  inquired  Ralph. 

"  Look." 

Ralph,  clambering  up  to  the  bench,  had  the  re- 
tiring tramp  in  full  view. 

The  latter  was  piece  by  piece  firing  the  lunch 
he  had  given  him  at  switches  and  signal  posts,  as 
if  he  had  a  special  spite  against  it. 

"Didn't  come  for  food,  you  see?"  observed 
the  helper. 


"VAN"  129 

"What  did  he  come  for,  then?"  demanded 
Ralph,  indignant  and  wrought  up. 

Limpy  simply  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and 
went  off  about  his  duties. 

Ralph  was  not  sorry  when  the  six  o'clock 
whistle  sounded.  He  had  gone  through  an  un- 
common strain,  both  mental  and  physical,  during 
the  day,  and  was  tired  and  glad  to  get  home. 

Limpy,  in  his  smooth,  quiet  way,  arranged  it 
so  that  he  left  the  roundhouse  when  Ralph  did, 
and  as  the  latter  noticed  that  his  companion  kept 
watching  out  in  all  directions,  he  traced  a  certain 
voluntary  guardianship  in  the  man's  intentions. 

But  if  Limpy  feared  that  Ike  Slump  or  his 
satellites  were  lying  in  wait,  it  was  not  along  the 
special  route  Ralph  took  in  proceeding  home- 
wards. 

He  reached  the  little  cottage  with  no  un- 
pleasant interruptions.  His  mother  welcomed 
him  at  the  gate  with  a  bright  smile.  Their  boy 
guest  was  weeding  out  a  vegetable  bed.  He 
immediately  came  up  to  Ralph,  extending  a 
beautifully  clean  full-grown  carrot  he  had 
selected  from  its  bed. 

Ralph  took  it,  patting  the  giver  encouragingly 
on  the  shoulder,  who  looked  satisfied,  and  Ralph 
was  pleased  at  this  indication  that  the  boy  knew 
him. 


130  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"How  has  lie  been  all  day?"  Ralph  inquired 
of  his  mother. 

"Just  as  you  see  him  now,"  answered  the 
widow.  "  He  has  been  busy  all  day,  willing, 
happy  as  a  lark.  The  doctor  dropped  in  this 
afternoon." 

"  What  did  he  say?  "  asked  Ralph. 

"  He  says  there  is  nothing  the  matter  with  the 
boy  excepting  the  shock.  He  fears  no  violent 
outbreak,  or  anything  of  that  kind,  and  only  hopes 
that  gradually  the  cloud  will  leave  his  mind." 

"  If  kindness  can  help  any,  he  will  get  sound 
and  well,"  declared  Ralph  chivalrously.  "  He 
doesn't  talk  much?  " 

"  Hardly  a  word,  but  he  watches,  and  seems  to 
understand  everything." 

"  What  is  that?  "  asked  Ralph,  pausing  as  they 
passed  together  through  the  side  door. 

The  wood  shed  door  was  scrawled  over  with 
chalk  marks  Ralph  had  not  seen  there  before. 

"  Oh,"  explained  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  "  he  found  a 
piece  of  chalk,  and  seemed  to  take  pleasure  in 
writing  every  once  in  a  while." 

"  And  just  one  word?  " 

"  Yes,  Ralph — those  three  letters." 

"  V-A-N,"  spelled  out  Ralph.  "  Mother,  that 
must  be  his  name — Van." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

FACE    TO    FACE 

Ralph  Fairbanks'  second  day  of  service  at 
the  roundhouse  passed  pleasantly,  and  without 
any  incident  out  of  the  common. 

With  the  disappearance  of  Ike  Slump  a  new 
system  of  order  and  harmony  seemed  to  prevail 
about  the  place.  The  foreman's  rugged  brow 
was  less  frequently  furrowed  with  care  or  anger 
over  little  mishaps,  and  Ralph  could  not  help  but 
notice  a  more  subdued  tone  in  his  dealings  with 
the  men. 

When  Ralph  came  home  that  evening,  his 
mother  told  him  of  a  visit  from  the  foreman's 
daughter-in-law  and  little  Nora.  They  had 
brought  Mrs.  Fairbanks  a  beautiful  bouquet  of 
flowers,  and  their  praises  of  Ralph  had  made  the 
widow  prouder  of  her  son  than  ever. 

That  morning,  Van,  as  they  now  called  their 
guest,  had  insisted  on  going  with  Ralph  to  his 
work  as  far  as  the  next  corner,  and  it  was  with 
difficulty  that  the  young  railroader  had  induced 
him  to  return  to  the  cottage. 

131 


132  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUXDHOUSE 

That  evening,  Van  met  him  nearly  two  squares 
away,  and  when  he  reached  the  house  Ralph  ex- 
pressed some  anxiety  to  his  mother  over  their 
guest's  wandering  proclivities. 

"  I  don't  think  he  would  go  far  away  of  his 
own  will,"  said  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  'You  see, 
Ralph,  he  counts  on  your  going  and  coming. 
This  morning,  after  you  sent  him  home,  I  found 
him  on  the  roof  of  the  house.  He  had  got  up 
there  from  the  ladder,  and  was  watching  you  till 
you  were  finally  lost  to  view  among  the  car 
tracks." 

Ike  Slump  did  not  show  up  the  third  day.  A 
fireman  told  Ralph  that  he  had  run  away  from 
home,  and  that  his  father  had  been  looking  for 
him.  Ike  had  been  seen  in  the  town  by  several 
persons,  but  always  at  a  distance,  and  evidently 
keeping  in  hiding  with  some  chosen  cronies  most 
of  the  time. 

.  He's  no  good,  and  you'll  hear  from  him  in  a 
bad  way  yet,"  was  the  railroader's  prediction. 

When  No.  6  came  into  the  roundhouse  next 
morning,  the  extra  who  had  taken  engineer  Gris- 
com's  place  for  two  days  told  Ralph  that  the  old 
veteran  would  be  on  hand  to  take  out  the  after- 
noon west  train  himself. 

Ralph  got  Limpy  to  help  him  put  some  fancy 
touche?  on  the  heaviest  runner  of  the  road.     At 


FACE    TO   FACE  133 

noon  he  hurried  home  and  back,  and  brought  with 
him  a  bright  little  bouquet  of  flowers. 

No.  6,  standing  facing  the  turntable  at  two 
o'clock  that  afternoon,  was  about  as  handsome  a 
piece  of  metal  as  ever  crossed  the  rails. 

Old  Griscom  came  into  the  roundhouse  a  few 
minutes  later,  his  running  traps  slung  over  his 
arm,  reported,  and  was  surrounded  by  the  dog 
house  crowd. 

This  was  his  first  public  appearance  since  the 
fire  at  the  yards.  He  still  looked  singed  and 
shaken  from  his  rough  experience,  but  as  he  saw 
Ralph  he  extended  his  hand,  and  gave  his  young 
favorite  a  twist  that  almost  made  Ralph  wince. 

"  On  deck,  eh?  "  he  called  cheerily.  "  Well,  I 
call  first  choice  when  you  get  ready  to  fire  coal." 

"  That's  a  long  ways  ahead,  Mr.  Griscom !  " 
laughed  Ralph. 

"  Forgan  don't  say  so.  Hi !  what  you  giving 
me  ?     A  brand-new  runner  ?  " 

The  veteran  engineer  gave  a  start  of  prodigious 
animation  and  real  pleased  surprise  as  his  glance 
fell  on  No.  6. 

The  headlight  shone  like  a  great  dazzling  bril- 
liant, the  brass  work  looked  like  gold.  In  the 
engineer's  window  stood  the  little  bouquet,  and 
the  cab  was  as  neat  and  clean  as  a  housewife's 
kitchen. 


134  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Griscom  swung-  onto  his  cushion  with  a  kind 
of  jolly  cheer,  and  the  foreman,  catching-  the  echo, 
waved  his  welcome  and  approbation  in  an  un- 
usually pleasant  way  from  the  door  of  his  little 
office. 

Big  Denny  had  been  a  periodical  visitor  to  the 
roundhouse  since  the  rescue  of  little  Nora  Forgan. 

He  had  taken  a  strong  fancy  to  Ralph,  it 
seemed,  and  whenever  he  had  a  few  minutes  to 
spare  would  seek  out  the  young  wiper,  and  seemed 
to  take  a  rare  pleasure  in  posting  him  on  many  a 
bit  of  technical  experience  in  the  railroading  line. 

He  chatted  with  Ralph  on  this  last  occasion 
while  the  latter  sat  filling  the  firemen's  cans  with 
oil,  and  drew  him  out  as  to  his  home  life,  his 
mother    and  his  reason  for  going  to  work. 

"  So  Farrington  holds  a  mortgage  on  your 
home?"  said  Denny.  "I  didn't  know  that. 
He's  pretty  rich,  I  hear.  I  remember  the  time, 
though,  when  people  thought  your  father  was  his 
partner  in  some  of  his  bond  deals." 

"  Yes,  mother  supposed  so,  too,"  said  Ralph. 

"  Your  father  put  him  onto  the  good  thing  the 
railroad  was,  first  of  all.  I  know  that  much," 
declared  Denny. 

"  It  looks  as  if  my  father  lost  all  his  holdings 
just  before  he  died,"  said  Ralph. 

"  Then  Farrington  got  them,  I'll  wager  that — ■ 


FACE    TO   FACE  135 

the  sly  old  fox!"  commented  Denny,  who  was 
generally  strong  in  his  personal  convictions. 

"  Well,  some  day,  when  I  am  in  a  position  to  do 
so,  I'm  going  to  have  Mr.  Gasper  Farrington 
hauled  into  court  about  the  matter,"  observed 
Ralph.  "  If  he  has  anything  belonging  to  my 
mother  and  me,  we  want  it." 

"  It  seems  to  me  you  ought  to  find  something 
among  your  father's  papers  shedding  light  on  the 
subject?  "  suggested  Denny. 

"  It  looks  as  if  my  father  had  had  blind  confi- 
dence in  Mr.  Farrington,"  said  Ralph. 

"  Yes,  the  old  fox  has  a  way  of  winding  him- 
self around  his  victims,"  declared  the  outspoken 
watchman.  "  I  remember  a  fellow  he  wound  up 
good  and  proper,  about  three  years  ago." 

"  Who  was  that?  "  asked  Ralph. 

"  His  name  was  Farwell  Gibson.  He  got  the 
railroad  fever,  sold  his  farm,  came  to  the  Junc- 
tion, and  he  and  Farrington  had  some  deals. 
They  had  a  big  row  one  night,  too,  and  Farring- 
ton threw  Gibson  out  of  his  house,  and  some  win- 
dows were  broken.  The  neighbors  heard  Gibson 
accuse  Farrington  of  robbing  him.  Next  day, 
though,  Farrington  swore  out  a  warrant  against 
Gibson  for  forgery,  and  Gibson  has  never  been 
seen  since.  Maybe,"  concluded  Big  Denny,  "  he 
killed  him." 


136  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUXDHOUSE 

"  Oh,  he  wouldn't  do  that!  " 

"  Gasper  Farrington  has  a  heart  as  hard  as 
flint,"  said  Denny,  "  and  would  do  anything:  f°r 
money." 

"  Farwell  Gibson,"  murmured  Ralph,  memo- 
rizing the  name. 

When  quitting-time  came  that  evening,  Ralph 
left  the  roundhouse  alone,  Limpy  having  '  een  sent 
with  a  message  to  the  depot. 

As  usual,  he  saved  distance  by  following  the 
tracks  where  they  curved,  then  at  a  certain  point 
cut  through  Jhe  unfenced  back  yards  of  some 
small  stores  fronting  the  depot  street. 

Beyond  this  was  a  prairie.  Turning  a  heap  of 
ties  to  take  a  last  straight  shoot  for  home.  Ralph 
found  his  progress  abruptly  blocked. 

"Thought  we'd  get  you!"  announced  a 
familiar  voice,  and  Ike  Slump  stepped  into  view. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  BATTLE  BY  THE  TRACKS 

"What  do  you  want?"  demanded  Ralph. 

He  did  not  at  all  look  as  if  his  hour  had 
come,  but  he  backed  to  a  commanding-  position 
against  the  pile  of  ties,  as  half  a  dozen  hoodlum 
companions  of  Ike  Slump  followed  their  leader 
into  sight. 

"  Peel !  "  said  Ike  importantly,  and  he  began  to 
roll  up  his  sleeves. 

"  I'm  comfortable,"  suggested  Ralph  easily. 
"  By  the  way,  Ike,  your  father  is  looking  for 
you." 

"  Never  you  mind  about  my  affairs,"  retorted 
Ike.  "  It's  you  I've  been  waiting  for,  it's  you 
I've  got,  and  it's  you  I'm  going  to  lick." 

"What  for?"  asked  Ralph/ 

"  What  for  ?  "  echoed  Ike  derisively — "  hear 
him,  fellows !  " 

"  Ho!  hear  him!  "  echoed  the  motley  crew  at 
Ike's  heels. 

"  I  told  you  at  the  roundhouse  that  I'd  pay  you 
off,  didn't  I?"  demanded  Ike. 
137 


13S  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  I  think  I  remember." 

"  Well.  I'm  going  to  do  it." 

''Here?     And  now?" 

"  Precisely." 

"  You  insist  that  I've  done  something  to  be 
paid  off  for?  " 

"  Yes,     You  insulted  me." 

"How?" 

This  was  a  poser.     Ike  was  silent. 

"  Tell  you,  Slump,"  said  Ralph,  setting  down 
his  dinner  pail.  "  You're  just  spoiling  to  do 
something  mean.  I  never  did  you  an  injury,  and 
I  would  like  to  do  you  some  good,  if  I  could. 
You're  in  bad  company.  You  had  better  leave  it 
and  go  home  to  your  father.  If  you  won't  take 
advice,  and  are  bound  to  force  me  to  the  wall — 
why,  I'll  do  my  share." 

At  Ralph's  allusion  to  the  company  Ike  kept, 
two  of  the  biggest  of  his  cohorts  sprang  forward. 

"  Your  turn  later,"  said  Ike.  "  This  is  my 
personal  affair  just  now." 

"You  will  force  things?"  questioned  Ralph 
calmly. 

'What!  Do  you  mean  will  I  let  you  off? 
Nixy!  No  baby  act,  Fairbanks!  Peel,  and  put 
up  your  fists." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Ralph.  "  I  think  I  can  man- 
age you  with  my  coat  on." 


THE  BATTLE   BY    THE    TRACK  139 

Ralph  was  not  a  particle  in  doubt  as  to  the 
ultimate  result  of  the  "  scrap."  He  had  gone 
through  a  half-vacation  course  of  splendid  ath- 
letic training,  and  his  muscles  were  as  hard  as 
iron.  Not  so  cigarette-smoking,  loose-jointed 
Ike  Slump. 

"That  for  that  sand  trick!"  announced  Ike. 
"  And  that's  for  dodging  that  waste  ball." 

So  sure  was  Ike  of  landing  on  Ralph's  nose 
with  one  fist,  that  he  supplemented  his  first  an- 
nouncement with  the  second  one  as  his  other  fist 
circled  to  take  Ralph  on  the  side  of  the  head. 

Ralph  did  not  dodge.  He  inwardly  laughed  at 
Ike's  clumsy  tactics.  With  one  hand  he  warded 
off  both  blows,  drew  back  his  free  fist,  and  let  it 
drive. 

"Ugh!"  said  Ike  Slump. 

As  Ralph's  knotty  knuckles  took  him  under  the 
chin,  there  was  a  snap,  a  whirl,  and  Ike  Slump 
keeled  clear  off  his  balance  and  sat  down  on  the 
ground. 

It  was  done  so  quickly  and  so  neatly  that  Ike's 
cohorts  were  too  astonished  to  move. 

"  Get  up — go  for  him !  "  directed  the  biggest 
boy  in  the  gang. 

"  I  can't!  "  bellowed  Ike,  spitting  out  a  tooth — ■ 
"  he's  cracked  my  jaw.  He  had  a  spike  in  his 
hand !  " 


140  RALPH   OF    THE    ROCXDHOCSE 

"  Foul,  eh!  "  scowled  the  big  fellow,  hunching 
towards  Ralph. 

The  young  railroader  with  a  contemptuous 
smile  extended  both  free  palms.  He  shut  them 
quickly  together  again,  however,  for  he  saw  that 
Slump's  crowd  did  not  know  the  meaning  of 
either  honor  or  fairness. 

So  determined  and  ready  did  he  look  that  the 
big  fellow  hesitated.  Ralph  heard  him  g.*e  some 
directions  to  his  companions,  and  the  crowd 
moved  forward  in  unison. 

"A  rush,  eh?"  he  said.  "You're  a  fine 
bunch!  but — come  on." 

Ralph's  spirit  was  now  fully  aroused.  He  had 
no  ambition  to  shine  as  a  pugilist,  but  he  would 
always  fight  for  his  rights. 

The  big  fellow  dashed  at  him,  calling  to  his 
companions.  Ralph  shot  out  his  right  fist  as 
quick  as  lightning.  The  blow  went  home,  and  the 
big  bully  blinked,  spluttered,  and  reeled  aside  with 
his  nose  flattened. 

Two  of  his  companions  sprang  at  Ralph,  one 
on  each  side.  Ralph  caught  one  by  the  throat 
the  other  by  the  waistband.  They  were  hitting 
away  at  him,  but  he  knew  how  to  dodge.  To  and 
fro  they  wrestled,  Ralph  knocking  them  together 
whenever  he  could,  never  letting  go.  and  using 
them  as  a  shield  against  the  big  fellow,  who,  as 


THE   BATTLE    BY    THE    TRACK  141 

mad  as  a  hornet  and  with  a  reckless  look  in  his 
eye,  had  resumed  the  attack. 

Suddenly  the  latter  managed  to  dodge  behind 
Ralph,  put  out  his  foot,  tripped  him,  and  the  trio 
fell  to  the  ground. 

Ralph  held  on  to  his  first  assailants,  struggling 
to  a  sitting  position. 

At  that  moment  the  big  bully  ran  upon  him. 
The  cowardly  brute  raised  his  foot  to  kick 
Ralph.  The  latter  saw  he  was  at  the  rascal's 
mercy.  He  let  go  the  two  squirming  at  his  side, 
shot  out  a  hand,  and  catching  the  uplifted  foot 
brought  its  owner  pell-mell  down  upon  him. 

The  bully  struck  his  head  in  falling,  and  was 
momentarily  dizzied.  Ralph  flopped  clear  over, 
sat  upon  him,  and  was  kept  busy  warding  off  the 
blows  of  the  two  fellows  he  had  released. 

There  were  six  others  in  the  gang.  These  now 
made  an  onrush.  Ralph  tried  to  calculate  his 
chances  and  map  out  the  best  course  to  pursue. 

Just  then  a  new  element  was  injected  into  the 
scene. 

Around  the  corner  of  the  pile  of  ties  came  a 
new  figure  with  cyclonic  precipitancy. 

It  was  Van,  the  guest  of  the  cottage.  He  must 
have  witnessed  the  scene  from  a  distance.  He 
swung  to  a  halt,  his  face  imperturbable  as  ever, 
but  his  eyes  covering  every  object  in  the  ensemble. 


*42  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUXDHOVSE 

"  Fight,"  he  said  simply,  and  swinging  both 
arms  like  battering  arms  sailed  into  the  nearest 
adversary. 

"Don't  strike  him!"  called  out  Ralph  in- 
stantly— "  he's  wrong  in  his  head!  " 

"We'll  right  it  for  him!"  announced  one  of 
the  crowd. 

The  speaker  swung  a  bag  as  he  spoke.  It 
seemed  to  contain  something  bulky,  for  as  it  just 
missed  Van's  head  and  bounded  on  the  shoulders 
of  one  of  the  user's  own  friends,  the  latter  went 
down  like  a  lump  of  lead. 

Van  never  stopped.  In  a  kind  of  windmill 
progress  he  struck  out,  sideways,  in  all  directions. 
In  two  minutes'  time  he  had  cleared  the  field, 
every  combatant  was  in  flight,  and  leaning  over 
and  seizing  the  big  bully  squirming  under  Ralph, 
he  weighted  him  on  a  dead  balance  for  a  second, 
and  then  sent  him  sliding  ten  feet  along  the 
ground  after  his  beaten  fellows. 

Ralph  released  the  other  two  and  let  them  run 
for  safety,  actually  afraid  that  his  friend  Van 
would  do  them  some  serious  injury  with  that 
phenomenal  ox-like  strength  stored  up  in  his 
sturdy  arms. 

But  Van  was  as  cool  as  an  iceberg.  He  was 
not  even  out  of  breath. 

"  More,"  he  said 


THE   BATTLE   BY    THE    TRACK  143 

"No,  no,  Van!''  demurred  Ralph.  "You've 
done  nobly,  old  fellow.  Let  them  go,  they've 
had  their  medicine.  Carry  this  for  me,"  and 
Ralph  thrust  his  dinner  pail  into  Van's  hand,  more 
to  divert  his  attention  than  anything-  else. 
"  They've  left  something  behind,  it  seems." 

Ralph  picked  up  the  bag  he  had  seen  used  as  a 
missile.  Its  weight  aroused  his  curiosity,  he 
peered  into  the  bag. 

"  I  see!  "  he  murmured  gravely  to  himself. 

In  the  bottom  of  the  bag  was  about  thirty 
pounds  of  brass  fittings.  Ralph  had  seen  bin 
after  bin  of  their  counterparts  in  the  supply  sheds 
near  the  roundhouse,  and  never  in  any  quantity 
anywhere  else. 

These,  like  those,  were  stamped,  and  bore  the 
impress  that  they  were  railroad  property. 

"  You  can  come  with  me,  Van,"  said  Ralph, 
and  turned  back  in  the  direction  of  the  round- 
house. 

The  foreman  was  just  leaving  the  office,  Ralph 
dropped  the  bag  inside  the  room. 

"What's  that,  Fairbanks?"  inquired  Forgan, 
as  he  heard  the  stuff  jangle. 

"  It's  some  brass  fittings,"  explained  Ralph. 
"  I  am  sure  they  belong  to  the  company.  I  found 
them  in  the  hands  of  a  gang  of  hoodlums,  and  of 
course  they  were  stolen." 


144         RALPH   OF   THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

"Eh?  hold  on — this  interests  me!"  and  For- 
gan  proceeded  to  inspect  the  contents  of  the  bag-. 
''That's  bad!"  he  commented  with  knit  brows. 
A  leak  like  that  shows  something  rotten  on  the 
inside!  Tell  me  more  about  this  affair,  Fair- 
banks." 

Ralph  fancied  he  now  understood  the  mission 
of  the  tramp  who  was  in  such  close  touch  with  Ike 
Slump,  and  also  the  reason  why  Slump's  dinner 
pail  was  so  heavy. 

He  did  not,  however,  impart  his  suspicions  to 
the  foreman.  The  latter  muttered  something 
about  the  thing  being  important,  and  that  he  must 
look  into  it  deeper,  as  Ralph  stated  that  he  had 
been  assaulted  by  a  gang  of  hoodlums  who  had 
left  the  bag  of  fittings  behind  them. 

"Who  are  they?"  questioned  the  foreman. 

"  I  don't  know  their  names." 

"Was  Ike  Slump  among  them?"  shrewdly 
interrogated  Forgan. 

"  I  don't  care  to  say,"  answered  Ralph. 

"  You  needn't,  I  can  guess  the  rest.  Only 
don't  forget  what  you  do  know  if  somebody 
higher  up  asks  about  this  matter.  I'm  respon- 
sible here,  and  a  leak  in  the  supply  department  has 
dished  more  than  one  foreman.  Thank  you, 
Fairbanks — thank  you  again,"  added  the  foreman 
with  real  sentiment  in  glance  and  accents. 


THE   BATTLE    BY    THE    TRACK  145 

About  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning  Ralph  was 
called  to  the  foreman's  office. 

He  expected  some  further  developments  in  the 
matter  of  the  brass  fittings,  but,  upon  entering  the 
room,  found  himself  face  to  face  with  Ike  Slump's 
father. 

The  foreman  was,  or  pretended  to  be,  busy  at 
his  desk.  Slump  senior  looked  very  much 
troubled.  Ralph  shrank  from  his  repulsive  face 
and  a  memory  of  his  nefarious  calling,  but  he 
nodded  politely  as  Slump  asked : 

"  This  is  young  Fairbanks  ?  " 

The  saloon  keeper  fidgeted  for  a  minute  or  two. 
Then  he  said : 

"  I  don't  suppose  you  bear  any  particular  good 
will  towards  me  or  mine,  Fairbanks,  but  I've  had 
to  come  to  you.  My  boy  assaulted  you  last  night, 
I  understand." 

"  Why,  no,"  answered  Ralph,  with  a  slight 
smile — "  he  only  tried  to." 

"  Well,  it's  just  this :  He's  in  trouble,  and  he's 
likely  to  go  deeper  unless  he's  stopped.  He  keeps 
out  of  my  way.  His  mother  is  heart-broken  and 
sick  abed  over  his  doings." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  said  Ralph.  "  Can  I  do 
anything  to  help  you,  Mr.  Slump?  " 

"  I  think  you  can,"  answered  Slump.  "  You 
know  Ike  and  his  associates,  and  maybe  you  can 


146  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

get  track  of  their  hang-out.  I  can't.  Fairbanks," 
and  the  man's  voice  broke,  "  it's  killing  my  wife! 
It's  a  lot  to  ask  of  you,  under  the  circumstances, 
but  Forgan  says  you  seem  to  have  a  knack  of 
doing  everything  right.  I  want  you  to  find  my 
boy — I  want  you  to  try  to  prevail  on  him  to  come 
home.     Will  you?  " 

Ralph  was  a  good  deal  moved  as  he  thought  of 
the  stricken  mother.  He  had  small  hopes  of  Ike 
Slump — smaller  than  ever,  as  he  considered  the 
manner  of  man  his  father  was,  but  he  answered 
promptly : 

"  I'll  try,  Mr.  Slump." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

A    NAME    TO    CONJURE    BY ! 

Big  Denny  came  to  where  Ralph  was  putting 
the  finishing  touches  to  one  of  the  fast  runners  of 
the  road  about  ten  o'clock  one  morning. 

Nobody  in  the  world  enjoyed  talk  an<*  gossip 
like  the  veteran  watchman,  as  Ralph  well  knew, 
and  it  really  pleased  him  to  have  his  company,  for 
among  the  driftwood  of  all  his  desultory  confi- 
dences Denny  usually  produced  some  point  inter- 
esting or  enlightening. 

On  this  especial  occasion  there  was  a  zest  to  the 
old  watchman's  greeting  of  the  young  railroader 
that  indicated  he  had  something  of  more  than 
ordinary  interest  to  impart. 

"  By  the  way,  Fairbanks,"  he  observed,  "  I  saw 
that  rich  old  hunks,  Farrington,  this  morning. 
He  was  down  here." 

"  At  the  roundhouse,  you  mean  ?  "  inquired 
Ralph,  with  some  interest. 

"  Well,   not   exactly.      He   was   over   by   the 
switch  towers,  met  Forgan,  and  had  quite  a  talk 
with  him.     Thought  I'd  post  you." 
147 


148         RALPH   OF   TUB    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Why,  what  about?"  asked  Ralph. 

"  He'll  be  after  you,  next." 

"  Not  until  the  first  of  next  month,  when  the 
interest  is  due,  I  fancy,"  said  Ralph.  "  I  do  not 
think  Mr.  Farrington  has  any  interest  in  us  out- 
side of  his  semi-annual  interest." 

"  He'll  be  nosing-  around,  see  if  he  isn't!  "  pre- 
dicted Denny  oracularly.  "  I've  got  a  tip  to  give 
you,  Fairbanks.  I  got  the  point  yesterday. 
There's  some  talk  of  running  a  switch  over  to 
Bloomdale.  If  they  do,  they'll  have  to  condemn 
a  right  of  way,  along  where  you  live.  Word  to 
the  wise,  eh?  nuff  said!"  and  Denny  departed, 
with  a  significant  wink. 

Ralph  wondered  if  there  was  any  real  basis  to 
Denny's  intimation.  He  fancied  it  was  only  one 
of  the  rumors  constantly  floating  around  about 
prospective  railroad  improvements. 

That  evening,  however,  Ralph  received  a  sug- 
gestion that  put  him  on  his  guard,  if  nothing 
more. 

He  had  gone  down  town  to  get  some  nails  for 
Van,  who  was  building  a  new  chicken  coop,  when 
he  met  Grif  Farrington. 

"  Just  looking  for  you,"  declared  Grif.  "  I  say, 
Fairbanks,  the  old  man  is  anxious  to  see  you." 

"Your  uncle  wants  to  see  me?"  repeated 
Ralph  incredulously." 


A   NAME    TO    CONJURE   BY  149 

"  Right  away.  Asked  me  to  find  you  and  tell 
you.  Business,  he  says,  and  important.  You 
couldn't  run  up  to  the  house  now,  could  you?" 
he  added. 

Ralph  hesitated — he  was  suspicious  of  old  Gas- 
per Farrington,  and  he  had  no  business  with  him, 
for  it  was  his  mother's  province  to  attend  to  any- 
thing concerning  their  money  dealings,  and  he  did 
not  feel  warranted  in  interfering. 

On  second  thought,  however,  Ralph  decided 
that  they  could  not  know  too  much  of  the  plots 
and  intentions  of  Farrington,  and  he  told  Grif  he 
would  go  up  to  the  house  at  once. 

Gasper  Farrington  lived  in  a  fine  old  mansion, 
from  parsimony,  however,  allowed  to  go  to  decay, 
so  that  all  that  was  really  attractive  about  the 
place  were  the  grounds. 

Ralph  found  the  magnate  seated  on  the  porch. 
He  knew  that  something  was  up  as  Farrington 
arose  with  a  great  showr  of  welcome,  made  him  sit 
down  in  the  easiest  chair,  and  treated  him  as  if 
he  were  the  dearest  friend  the  old  man  had  in  the 
world. 

"You  sent  for  me,  Mr.  Farrington?"  Ralph 
observed,  between  some  flattering  but  meaning- 
less remarks  of  his  wily  host. 

"  Why,  yes — yes,"  assented  Farrington. 

"  On  business,  your  nephew  told  me." 


150  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  H'm — hardly  that.  1*11  tell  you,  Fairbanks, 
I  have  been  greatly  interested  and  pleased  to 
notice  the  manly  course  you  have  taken." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Farrington." 

"  In  fact,  I  have  taken  pains  to  inquire  of  your 
direct  employers  as  to  your  capability  and  record, 
and  am  gratified  to  find  them  good — exceptionally 
good." 

Ralph  wondered  what  was  coming  next. 

"  Your  father  was  my  friend — I  want  to  be 
yours.  I  am  not  without  a  certain  interest  and 
influence  in  the  matter  of  the  railroad,  as  you  may 
know,  and  I  have  decided  to  exert  myself  in  your 
behalf." 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  said  Ralph. 

"Not  at  all.  I  recognize  merit,  and  I — u'm  !  I 
feel  a  decided  duty  in  the  premises.  The  auditor 
of  the  road  at  Springfield  holds  his  office  through 
my  recommendation.  I  was  talking  with  him 
yesterday,  and  I  have  a  proposition  to  make  you. 
I  will  give  you  five  hundred  dollars  more  than  the 
market  price  for  your  house  and  lot,  rent  you  a 
place  I  own  at  Springfield  for  a  mere  nominal 
*um,  and  guarantee  you  a  good  office  position  in 
the  auditor's  department  there  at  forty  dollars  a 
month  to  start  in  with." 

Ralph  opened  his  eyes  wide.  It  was  certainly  a 
tempting  bait.     Had  any  person  but  crafty  old 


A   NAME    TO    CONJURE   BY  151 

Gasper  Farrington  made  the  tender,  he  might 
have  jumped  at  it. 

Instantly,  however,  he  remembered  what 
Denny  had  said  about  the  new  line,  recalled  the 
fact  that  Farrington  had  never  been  known  to 
make  a  bad  bargain,  compared  confining  labor 
over  a  desk  in  a  hot,  stifling  room  with  the  free, 
gkd  dash  of  mail  and  express,  the  bracing  air,  the 
constant  change  of  real  railroad  life,  reflected  that 
once  away  from  Stanley  Junction  he  and  his 
mother  would  never  be  likely  to  learn  more  of 
Farrington's  past  doings  with  his  dead  father, 
and — Ralph  decided. 

"  Mr.  Farrington,"  he  said,  "  in  regard  to  the 
cottage,  that  is  my  mother's  sole  business,  and  I 
do  not  think  she  could  be  induced  to  sell  you  a 
place  that  has  been  a  very  dear  home  to  her.  As 
to  myself — I  thank  you  for  your  kind  intentions, 
but  at  present  I  have  no  desire  to  change  my 
work." 

"  Why  not — why  not?  "  cried  Farrington.  He 
had  been  unctuous,  smirking  and  eager.  Now  his 
brow  darkened,  and  his  thin  lips  came  together  in 
a  sour,  vicious  way. 

"  Well,  I  have  marked  out  a  certain  thorough 
course  after  much  thought  and  advice,  and  do  not 
like  to  depart  from  it." 

Gasper  Farrington  got  up  and  paced  the  porch 


152  R'ALPII   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

restlessly.  The  old  rancor  and  dislike  came 
back  to  his  thin,  shrewd  face. 

"  You'll  regret  it!  "  he  mumbled. 

"  I  hope  not,"  said  Ralph,  rising  also. 

"  Young  man,"  observed  Farrington,  stabbing 
at  his  guest  with  a  quivering  ringer,  "  I  warn  you 
that  you  are  taking  an  obstinate  and  fatal 
course." 

"Warn?"  echoed  Ralph — "that  is  pretty 
strong  language,  isn't  it,  Mr.  Farrington?" 

"  And  I  mean  it  to  be  so!  "  cried  Farrington, 
casting  aside  all  disguise.  "  I  said  I  had  influ- 
ence. I  have.  You  can't  work  for  the  Great 
Northern  in  Stanley  Junction,  if  I  say  not." 

Ralph  stared  at  the  speaker  incredulously.  He 
could  not  comprehend  how  Farrington  could 
show  the  bad  policy  to  put  himself  on  record  with 
such  a  remark,  be  his  intentions  what  they  might. 

"  In  fact,  sir,"  said  Ralph,  "  you  mean  to  inti- 
mate that  you  will  get  me  discharged?  " 

"I  mean  just  that,"  unblushingly  admitted  Far- 
rington. "  I  will  allow  no  pauper  brood  to  stand 
in  the  way  of  my — of  my " 

Ralph  felt  the  blood  surge  hotly  to  his  temples. 
With  a  strong  effort  he  controlled  himself. 

"  Mr.  Farrington."  he  said  quietly,  though  his 
voice  trembled  a  trifle,  "  you  have  said  quite 
enough.     I  want  to  tell  you  that  you  are  a  wicked, 


A   NAME    TO    CONJURE   BY     '  153 

hypocritical  old  man.  You  have  no  interest  in  my 
welfare — you  are  after  our  little  property,  be- 
cause you  have  learned  that  the  railroad  may  soon 
pay  a  big  price  for  it.  You  want  us  out  of  Stan- 
ley Junction,  because  you  are  afraid  we  may  find 
out  something-  about  your  dealings  with  my  dead 
father.  To  carry  your  point,  you  threaten  me — 
me,  a  poor  boy,  just  starting  in  to  win  his  way 
by  hard  work — you  threaten  to  plot  against  and 
ruin  me.  Very  well,  Mr.  Farrington,  go  ahead. 
I  have  too  much  reliance  in  the  teachings  of  a 
good  mother  to  believe  that  you  will  succeed." 

"  What !  what !  "  shouted  the  magnate,  almost 
choking  with  rage  and  mortification  at  this  un- 
varnished arraignment,  "  you  dare  to  tell  me  this  ? 
In  my  own  house !  " 

"  You  invited  me  here,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"  Get  out — get  out !  "  cried  Farrington,  run- 
ning to  the  door  for  his  cane. 

"  You  will  fail,"  spoke  Ralph,  going  down  the 
steps.  "  You  won't  gag  me  as  you  have  others. 
As  you  did " 

Like  an  inspiration  a  suggestion  came  to  Ralph 
Fairbanks'  mind  at  that  moment. 

It  seemed  as  if  he  had  right  before  his  eyes 
once  more  the  mysterious,  blurred  letter  that  Van 
had  brought.  Fie  recalled  one  of  its  last  words. 
F7e  had  mistaken  it  for  "  Farewell."     Now  the 


154  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

light  flashed  in  upon  his  soul.  "  Farwell  "  was 
the  name  Big  Denny  had  spoken — "  Farwell  Gib- 
son. 

"  As  you  did  Farwell  Gibson,"  concluded 
Ralph,  at  a  venture. 

"  Who?  Come  back!  Stay,  Fairbanks,  one 
word !  " 

The  old  man's  face  had  grown  white.  His  eyes 
seemed  suddenly  haunted  with  dread. 

"  That  name!  "  he  gasped,  clutching  at  a  chair 
for  support.  "  What  do  you  know  of  Farwell 
Gibson?" 

"  Only,"  answered  Ralph,  "  that  he  wrote  to 
my  father  last  week." 

"  He — wrote — "  choked  out  Farrington,  "  last 
week — to  your  father — Farwell  Gibson!  " 

The  information  was  the  capping  climax.  The 
old  man  uttered  a  groan,  fell  over,  carrying  the 
chair  he  grasped  with  him,  and  lay  on  the  porcr 
floor  in  a  fit. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

IKE    SLUMP'S    FRIENDS 

When  Ralph  reached  home  after  his  exciting 
lialf-hour  with  Gasper  Farrington,  he  was  con- 
siderably wrought  up. 

He  had  called  for  assistance  at  the  Farrington 
home  as  soon  as  its  owner  went  down  in  a  fit,  a 
servant  had  hurried  to  the  porch,  between  them 
they  got  Farrington  into  the  house  and  on  a 
couch,  a  physician  was  telephoned  for,  and  as  soon 
as  he  saw  returning  signs  of  consciousness  on  the 
part  of  his  host  and  discerned  that  his  condition 
was  not  really  serious,  Ralph  left  the  place. 

Van  had  gone  to  bed,  and  Ralph  found  his 
mother  alone.  They  sat  in  the  little  parlor,  con- 
versing. Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  very  much  per- 
turbed at  Ralph's  recital  of  his  sensational 
encounter  with  Gasper  Farrington. 

"  I  fear  he  is  an  evil  man,  Ralph,"  she  said, 
with  anxiety.  "  He  has  power,  and  he  will  not 
hesitate  to  misuse  it." 

"  He  seems  to  be  determined  to  drive  us  out  of 
Stanley  Junction,"  said  Ralph. 
155 


156         RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  And  I  fear  he  may  succeed." 

"  Not  while  I  have  you  to  care  for  and  your 
interests  to  protect!"  declared  Ralph,  with  vim. 
"  That  old  man  has  aroused  the  fighting  blood  in 
me,  mother,  and  I'll  sec  this  thing  through,  and 
stay  right  on  the  spot,  if  I  have  to  peddle  papers 
for  a  living.  But  don't  you  worry  about  his  get- 
ting me  discharged.  I  have  made  some  friends 
in  the  railroad  business,  and  I  believe  they  will 
stick  by  me." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  sighed  in  a  worried  way. 

"  I  wish  you  had  not  run  counter  to  him  to- 
night," she  said. 

"  I  am  glad,"  responded  Ralph.  "  Don't  you 
see  he  has  shown  his  hand?  Why,  mother,  can 
anything  be  plainer  than  that  he  realizes  our 
presence  here  to  be  a  constant  menace  to  some  of 
his  interests?  And  as  to  that  random  shot  about 
Farwell  Gibson — it  told.  He  is  afraid  of  us  and 
this  Gibson.  Well,  it  has  all  cleared  the  way  to 
definite  action." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Ralph  ?  " 

"  I  mean  that  the  letter  Van  brought  us  must 
have  been  very  important.  I  believe  this  man, 
Gibson,  is  alive,  but  in  hiding.  He  shows  it  by 
the  roundabout,  laborious  way  he  took  to  send  the 
letter,  and  his  ignorance  of  father's  death.  I  be- 
lieve that  letter  hinted  at  his  knowledge  of  wrongs 


IKE   SLUMP'S  FRIENDS  157 

Farrington  has  done  us.  If  we  can  find  this  per- 
son, I  feel  positive  he  can  impart  information  of 
vital  value  to  our  interests." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  acquiesced  in  her  son's  theories, 
but  was  timorous  about  further  antagonizing  their 
enemy.  It  was  mostly  for  Ralph  and  his  prospects 
that  she  cared. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  the  whole  matter  over, 
mother,"  proceeded  Ralph,  "  and  I  believe  I  see 
my  course  plain  before  me.  As  soon  as  I  can,  I 
am  going  to  ask  the  foreman  to  give  me  a  couple 
of  days'  leave  of  absence.  Then  I  will  get  Mr. 
Griscom  to  take  Van  and  me  on  his  run,  and  re- 
turn. Van  came  in  on  his  morning  run,  so  I  con- 
jecture he  must  have  got  on  the  train  somewhere 
between  Stanley  Junction  and  the  terminal.  Is  it 
not  possible,  going  back  over  the  course,  that  he 
may  show  recognition  of  some  spot  with  which 
he  is  familiar?  " 

"  Yes,  Ralph,  that  looks  reasonable." 

"  Once  we  know  where  he  came  from,  and  find 
his  friends,  we  can  trace  up  this  Mr.  Gibson. 
Don't  you  see,  mother?  " 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  did  see,  and  commended 
Ralph's  clear,  ready  wit  in  formulating  the  plan 
suggested.  She  did  not  show  much  enthusiasm, 
however.  She  was  more  than  content  with  the 
present — a  comfortable  home,  a  manly,  ambitious 


158  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

boy  at  her  side,  full  of  devotion  to  her,  and  mak- 
ing his  way  steadily  to  the  front. 

Ralph  was  called  into  the  foreman's  office  al- 
most as  soon  as  he  reached  the  roundhouse  next 
morning. 

Forgan  looked  serious  and  acted  anxious. 

"  Sit  down,  Fairbanks,"  he  directed,  closing 
the  door  after  his  visitor.  "  We're  in  trouble 
here,  and  I  guess  you  will  have  to  lift  us  out  of 
it." 

"  Can  I,  Mr.  Forgan?  "  inquired  Ralph. 

"  You  can  help,  that's  sure.  Those  brass  fit- 
tings you  found  were  stolen  from  the  railroad 
company." 

"  I  thought  that.  They  had  the  Great  Northern 
stamp  on  them." 

"  That  isn't  the  worst  of  it.  Some  one  has  been 
systematically  rifling  the  supply  bins.  I  suppose 
you  know  that  some  of  these  pinions  and  valves 
are  very  nearly  worth  their  weight  in  silver?  " 

u  I  know  they  must  cost  considerable,  those  of 
a  special  pattern,"  assented  Ralph. 
,     "  They  do.    That  little  heap  you  brought  in  the 
bag  represents  something  over  fifty  dollars  to  the 
company." 

Ralph  was  surprised  at  this  declaration. 

"  To  an  outsider  they  are  not  worth  one-tenth 
that  amount,  because  there  is  a  penalty  fo«r  selling 


IKE   SLUMP'S   FRIENDS  159 

them,  even  as  junk,  and  the  only  people  who 
handle  them  are  stolen-goods  receivers,  who  melt 
them  down.  Well,  Fairbanks,  I  started  an  in- 
vestigation in  the  supply  department  last  evening. 
The  result  is  astonishing." 

The  foreman's  grave  manner  indicated  that  he 
had  some  pretty  sensational  disclosures  in  reserve. 

"  We  find,"  continued  Forgan,  "  that  there  has 
been  cunning,  systematic  thievery;  some  one  en- 
tirely familiar  with  the  supply  sheds  and  their 
system  has  removed  a  large  amount  of  plunder, 
probably  a  little  at  a  time.  They,  or  he,  whoever 
it  is,  did  not  excite  suspicions  by  taking  the  fit- 
tings from  the  bins,  but  tapped  the  reserve  boxes 
and  kegs  in  the  storeroom.  We  estimate  that 
nearly  two  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  stuff  has 
been  stolen." 

Ralph  was  astonished  at  this  statement. 

"  That  means  trouble  for  me,"  announced  the 
foreman,  "  unless  I  can  remedy  it.  I  am  sup- 
posed to  employ  reliable  men,  and  safeguard  the 
goods  in  their  charge.  The  railroad  company 
doesn't  stop  to  find  excuses  for  shortages,  they 
simply  discharge  a  man  who  is  not  smart  enough 
to  protect  his  own  and  the  company's  interests." 

"  I  understand,"  murmured  Ralph. 

"  A  new  inventory  is  due  next  month.  I  must 
recover  that  stolen  plunder — at  least  discover  the 


160         RALPH   OF   THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

thieves — to  square  myself  before  then,"  an- 
nounced Forgan.  "  We  can't  afford  to  dodge 
any  corners,  Fairbanks,  and  I  want  you  to  be 
clear  and  open  with  me.  I  believe  that  young 
rascal,  Ike  Slump,  had  a  hand  in  the  robbery,  and 
I  further  believe  that  you  know  it  to  be  a  fact." 

"I  do  not  positively  know  it,  Mr.  Forgan,"  said 
said  Ralph. 

"  But  you  suspect  it,  eh  ?  Don't  shield  a  rogue, 
Fairbanks.  It  isn't  fair  to  me  and  it  isn't  fair 
to  the  company.  Ike's  father  told  me  this  morn- 
ing you  promised  to  try  and  find  his  son  for  him. 
I  think  you  are  shrewd  enough  to  do  it.  All 
right — at  the  same  time  keep  in  mind  my  interest 
in  the  affair,  and  try  and  get  a  clew  from  Ike 
Slump  as  to  those  stolen  fittings.  You  can  call 
the  day  off — I'll  pay  your  time  out  of  my  own 
pocket." 

Ralph  understood  what  was  expected  of  him. 
He  received  the  suggestions  of  his  superior  with- 
out further  questioning,  as  if  they  comprised  a 
regular  order,  went  to  his  locker,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  was  ready  for  the  street. 

He  did  not  know  where  to  find  Ike  Slump,  but 
he  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  town, 
which  had  its  rough  quarters,  like  all  other  rail- 
road centers. 

Extending  from  the  depot  along  the  tracks  for 


IKE   SLUMP'S   FRIENDS  161 

half  a  mile  were  small  hotels,  workingmen's 
boarding-  houses,  second-hand  stores,  restaurants, 
saloons,  and  all  kinds  of  little  business  places. 

They  comprised  a  nest  where  most  of  the  drink- 
ing and  all  of  the  crime  of  the  place  occurred. 
It  was  not  a  desirable  quarter,  but  Ralph  realized 
that  within  its  precincts  he  was  likely  to  locate  Ike 
Slump,  if  at  all  in  Stanley  junction. 

Ralph  put  in  an  hour  strolling  in  the  <ncinity. 
He  kept  a  keen  eye  out  for  those  of  Ike'-'  chosen 
chums  whom  he  knew.  He  did  not  bd'cvs  thac 
Ike  was  likely  to  show  himself  much  in  tv<?  day- 
time. His  father  had  been  unable  to  rind  him, 
and  Ike  probably  had  some  sate  hide-out,  and 
pickets  on  the  lookout,  besides. 

About  eleven  o'clock,  coming  down  the  tracks 
near  the  scene  of  the  battle  royal,  Ralph  dis- 
covered half  a  dozen  boys  in  the  rear  yard  of  a 
blacksmith  shop. 

Various  vehicles,  sheds  and  general  yard  litter 
enabled  Ralph  to  approach  them  unobserved.  He 
fancied  that  at  least  two  of  the  crowd  had  been 
mixed  up  in  the  fracas  which  Van's  valiant  on- 
slaught had  terminated,  for  one  had  a  swollen 
nose  and  another  a  black  eye. 

Ralph  suddenly  appeared  before  the  crowd,  en- 
grossed in  their  game.  They  rose  up,  startled. 
Then  he  was  apparently  recognized,  for  a  quick 


162  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

murmur  went  the  rounds,  and  they  quickly 
hunched  together  with  lowering  brows  and  sus- 
picious looks. 

"  I  want  to  have  a  word  with  you  fellows," 
said  Ralph  bluntly. 

They  were  six  to  one,  and  here  was  a  golden 
opportunity  to  avenge  the  ignominious  defeat 
they  had  sustained.  Ralph's  off-hand  bearing, 
however,  his  clear  eye  and  manly  tones,  impressed 
them,  and  perhaps,  too,  they  had  a  wholesome 
fear  that  his  giant-fisted  champion,  Van,  might  be 
lurking  in  the  vicinity. 

No  one  spoke,  and  Ralph  resumed. 

"  See  here,  boys,  this  is  business.  I  want  to 
find  Ike  Slump,  and  it's  for  his  own  good.  He's 
likely  to  get  into  trouble  if  he  doesn't  see  his 
father  very  soon,  and  it  will  be  the  police,  not  me, 
next  visit.  His  mother's  sick,  boys,  sick  abed, 
and  heart-broken  over  Ins  absence.  Come,  fel- 
lows, tell  me  where  he  is." 

"  You're  pretty  fresh  !  "  spoke  out  one  of  the 
crowd.  "  What  are  you  after?  a  bluff,  or  a  give- 
away? " 

"  If  you  mean  I  am  misrepresenting  Ike's  dan- 
ger, or  that  I  have  any  unfriendly  feeling  towards 
him,"  said  Ralph,  "  you  are  entirely  wrong.  I'm 
trying  to  help  him,  for  the  sake  of  his  poor 
mother  and  others — not  hurt  him." 


IKE  SLUMP'S   FRIENDS  163 

Two  or  three  heads  went  close  together.  There 
was  a  brief  undertoned  conference. 

"  "We  don't  bite,"  finally  announced  the  spokes- 
man of  the  crowd.  "  We'll  take  your  message  to 
Ike.     If  he  wants  to  find  you,  he  knows  how." 

"  All  right,"  said  Ralph,  moving  away — "  only 
he  may  wait  too  long.  I'll  give  you  a  quarter  to 
put  me  in  touch  with  him  for  two  minutes." 

No  one  responded  to  the  offer.  A  little  dirty- 
faced  urchin,  who  looked  unhappy  and  out  of 
place  with  that  motley  crew,  looked  longingly  at 
Ralph.  No  one  called  him  back  as  he  moved 
slowly  away. 

Ralph  left  the  place,  and  had  gone  about  two 
hundred  yards  down  the  track  along  a  high  fence, 
when  he  heard  a  thin,  piping  voice  call  out : 

"  Hold  on,  mister,  back  up — I  want  to  tell  you 
something ! " 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE    HIDE-OUT 

•'  Where  are  you?  "  Ralph  inquired,  somewhat 
mystified. 

"  Here  I  am — the  wiggling  stick.  I'm  behind 
it." 

"Oh!  I  see!"  said  Ralph — "and  who  are 
you?  " 

"  Me?     Oh,  nobody  in  particular." 

Ralph  now  discovered  that  his  challenger  was 
on  the  other  side  of  the  close  board  fence,  and 
through  a  crack  was  moving  a  thin  splinter  of 
wood  up  and  down  to  indicate  his  exact  location. 
Ralph  came  up  to  the  spot., 

"  What  do  you  want?  "  he  inquired. 

"  That  quarter,  mister — you  know,  back  there 
with  the  gang,  I  heard  you.  Well,  here  I  am. 
Pass  through  the  coin,  will  you?  " 

Ralph  got  a  dim  focus  through  the  crack,  and 
surmised  that  the  speaker  was  the  dirty-faced  lit- 
tle fellow  who  had  looked  at  him  so  longingly 
when  he  offered  the  money. 
164 


THE   HIDE-OUT  165 

"  You  know  where  Ike  Slump  is  ? "  asked 
Ralph. 

"  No,  I  don't,  mister." 

"Well,  then?" 

"  But  I  can  put  you  on." 

"On  to  what?" 

"  Where  he  goes  every  night — where  you're 
sure  to  find  him  after  dark." 

"  Well,  tell  me." 

"  See  here,  mister,"  piped  the  little  fellow  in  an 
uncertain  voice.  "  The  gang  'd  kill  me  if  they 
knew  I  was  giving  'em  away,  but  I'm  just  about 
starving.  Because  I'm  little  they  make  me  do 
all  kinds  of  work,  and  when  there's  anything  to 
eat  they  forget  I'm  around.  They  stole  some 
melons  out  of  the  cars  last  night.  All  I  got  was 
the  rind." 

"  Who  are  you,  anyway?  "  asked  Ralph. 

"  Oh,  I'm  nobody.  I  was  at  the  county  farm, 
but  run  away  and  got  in  with  these  fellows. 
Wish  I  was  back!  I'd  go,  only  they'd  punish  me 
and  lock  me  up.  You  give  me  the  quarter,  and 
I'll  meet  you  later  and  show  you  where  Ike  Slump 
hangs  out  nights." 

"  You'll  keep  your  promise?  " 

"  Honor  bright !  " 

"Where  will  you  be?" 

"  Right  here,  only  outside  the  fence/* 


166  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"What  time?" 

"  Just  at  dark." 

"  I'll  do  it,"  said  Ralph,  slipping  a  twenty-five- 
cent  piece  through  the  crack  in  the  fence.  "  Re- 
member, now.  I  trust  you,  and  I'll  give  you  as 
much  more  to-night  if  you  don't  play  me  any 
tricks." 

"  Crackey !  that's  fine ;  only  you  keep  mum  on 
my  showing  you?  " 

"  I  certainly  will,"  assured  Ralph. 

He  did  not  feel  certain  that  he  had  accomplished 
much.  It  all  depended  on  the  reliability  of  the 
urchin.  Ralph  went  back  to  the  roundhouse  and 
told  the  foreman  he  could  do  nothing  further 
toward  locating  Ike  Slump  until  nightfall,  and 
put  in  the  afternoon  at  his  regular  duties,  although 
Forgan  told  him  he  need  not  do  so. 

Ralph  went  home  at  quitting-time,  got  his  sup- 
per, explained  to  his  mother  that  he  had  some- 
thing, to  attend  to  for  the  foreman,  and  not  to 
worry  if  he  was  not  back  early. 

He  reached  the  rendezvous  agreed  on  at  dusk, 
and  after  a  few  minutes'  waiting  saw  the  little  fel- 
low of  the  morning  coming  down  the  tracks. 

"  I'm  here,"  announced  the  new  arrival. 

"  So  am  I,  as  you  see,"  answered  Ralph* 
"  How  did  you  get  on  to-day — let's  see,  what  is 
your  name?  r 


THE  HIDE-OUT  167 

"  Teddy." 

"  All  right,  Teddy.  Did  you  get  something  to 
eat?" 

"  Not  a  great  deal.  The  fellow  saw  me  buying 
some  grub.  I  told  'em  I  found  a  quarter,  and 
they  made  me  play  craps  with  the  change — twenty 
rents." 

"  Of  course  you  lost." 

"  Oh,  sure — knew  that  before  I  began.  They 
always  win,  them  fellows.  Say,  mister,  please, 
I'll  go  ahead  alone,  because  if  any  of  them  should 
happen  to  see  me  with  you  it  would  be  all-day  for 
Teddy!" 

"  Go  ahead,"  directed  Ralph. 

The  boy  went  down  the  tracks.  At  the  end  of 
the  fence  he  turned  into  a  yard  with  a  barn  at  the 
back.  The  building  in  front  was  a  dilapidated 
two-story  frame  structure.  The  windows  at  the. 
rear  were  fastened  up,  but  the  one  doorway  visible 
was  open,  and  led  into  a  dark  hallway. 

Teddy  had  paused  near  a  wagon,  and  looked 
anxious  to  get  away. 

"  That's  the  place,"  he  said.  "  You  go  in  that 
door  and  up  some  stairs.  There's  a  big  room  in 
front  where  the  crowd  meet  nights,  and  play 
cards,,  and  drink  and  smoke.  Ike  Slump  spends 
all  his  evenings  here." 

"All   right,"    said   Ralph.     "There's   another 


168  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

quarter.  See  here,  Teddy,  if  you'll  come  down  to 
the  roundhouse  to-morrow,  I'll  give  you  a  good 
dinner.     I  want  to  have  a  talk  with  you." 

"  Well,  I'll  see,"  said  the  urchin,  palming  the 
coin  with  a  chuckle  and  disappearing  at  once. 

Ralph  looked  the  place  over.  Finally,  from  his 
knowledge  of  the  street  beyond,  he  located  it 
properly  in  his  mind.  The  building  was  in  the 
middle  of  what  was  known  as  Rotten  Row.  It 
was  a  double  store  front,  one  half  of  which  was 
occupied  by  a  cheap  barber  shop.  The  other  half, 
Ralph  remembered,  was  a  second-hand  clothing 
store  run  by  a  man  named  Cohen,  who  also  did 
something  in  the  pawnbroker  line. 

Ralph  had  often  noticed  the  dilapidated  place, 
and  knew  that  its  denizens  had  a  shady  reputa- 
tion. He  realized  that  Cohen  was  just  about  the 
man  to  encourage  boys  to  hang  around  and  steal, 
and  doubtless  controlled  the  rooms  upstairs. 

Ralph  entered  the  dark  rear  hallway  after  some 
deliberation.  When  he  reached  the  top  of  the 
stairs  he  paused  and  listened. 

Under  the  crack  of  the  door  some  gleams  of 
light  showed.  The  front  room  of  the  upper 
story  lay  beyond,  Ralph  theorized.  He  could 
catch  a  low  hum  of  voices,  the  click  of  dominoes, 
and  there  was  a  tobacco  taint  in  the  atmosphere. 
He  ran  his  hand  over  the  door,  but  it  had  no  knob, 


THE   HIDE-OUT  169 

the  keyhole  was  plugged  up,  and  he  could  not  see 
into  the  room. 

Ralph  judged  from  the  appearance  of  things 
that  Ike  Slump  came  to  the  place  by  the  front  way, 
so  there  was  no  use  waiting  for  him  at  the  rear 
stairs.  He  reasoned,  too,  that  if  he  went  around 
to  the  front  he  would  be  seen  by  some  of  Ike's 
cohorts,  and  the  latter  would  be  warned  and  kept 
out  of  the  way. 

"  I  wish  I  could  get  a  chance  into  that  front 
room,"  mused  Ralph.  "  Once  I  come  in  range  of 
Ike,  I  think  I  can  at  least  say  enough  to  get  him 
to  listen  to  me." 

There  was  one  other  room  on  the  second  floor 
and  one  other  door.  Ralph  found  a  knob  here. 
But  the  door  was  locked.  It  had,  unlike  the  other 
door,  a  transom.  The  sash  of  this  was  gone,  and 
the  space  stopped  up  with  a  loose  sheet  of  manilla 
paper. 

Ralph  lightly  lifted  himself  to  the  knob  on  one 
foot.  He  pushed  at  the  paper,  and  it  moved  out 
free  except  at  two  corners  where  it  was  tacked. 
It  was  no  trick  at  all  for  Ralph  to  lift  himself 
through  the  transom  and  drop  to  the  floor  on  the 
other  side. 

With  some  satisfaction  he  noticed  that  this 
room  connected  with  the  front  apartment,  the 
light  coming  in  over  its  transom  reflecting  into 


170  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

the  rear  room  so  that  he  could  make  out  its  con- 
tents plainly. 

At  one  side  stood  a  big  hogshead  nearly  full  of 
loose  excelsior,  used  for  packing.  Near  it  were 
as  many  as  twenty  flat  boxes.  Ralph  touched  one 
with  his  foot.  He  could  not  budge  it,  and  then, 
drawing  closer,  he  looked  into  a  box  with  its  cover 
off,  and  saw  that  it  was  nearly  full  of  brass  fit- 
tings. 

"  They're  here,  there's  a  lot  of  them,"  breathed 
Ralph  quickly,  "  packed  up  for  shipment.  This  is 
a  find  !     What  had  I  better  do  ?  " 

The  discovery  modified  all  Ralph's  prearranged 
plans.  He  knew  quite  well  that  if  found  in 
this  room  his  presence  would  show  a  prima  facie 
evidence  that  he  knew  the  storage  place  of  the 
stolen  plunder.  Ralph  decided  to  get  out  as 
quickly  as  he  had  got  in,  and  try  to  come  upon  Ike 
from  some  other  point  of  the  compass,  without 
giving  the  alarm  to  Cohen,  or  whoever  really  con- 
trolled the  stolen  goods. 

Before  he  could  make  a  move,  however,  a  key 
grated  in  the  lock  of  the  connecting  room.  The 
knob  was  broken  off  on  the  inside  of  the  door 
over  which  he  had  just  clambered.  To  reach  the 
transom  and  get  sufficient  purchase  to  let  himself 
over  through  the  aperture  he  would  have  to  have 
a  box  or  chair  to  stand  on. 


THE   HIDE-OUT  171 

There  was  no  time  to  select  either.  The  door 
leading  to  the  front  room  came  briskly  open. 
Ralph  looked  for  a  hiding  place.  None  presented, 
for  the  boxes  la)'-  flat  on  the  floor,  and  the  hogs- 
head was  away  from  the  side  wall. 

Ralph  thought  quick  and  acted  on  an  impulse. 
He  thrust  his  arm  down  into  the  hogshead.  Its 
light  contents  gave  way  to  the  touch. 

Leaping  its  rim,  Ralph  sank  as  in  a  snowbank, 
ducked  down  his  head,  pulled  the  stringy  wooden 
fiber  over  it,  and  snuggled  inside  the  hogshead, 
out  of  view. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

A    FREE    RIDE 

The  hogshead  in  which  Ralph  had  ensconced 
himself  was  made  of  loose,  defective  staves.  He 
found  himself  facing  an  aperture,  through  which, 
he  could  look  quite  readily. 

Two  persons  entered  the  room.  One  was  Ike 
Slump.  The  other  Ralph  recognized  as  the 
second-hand  dealer,  Cohen.  The  latter  carried  a 
lamp,  which  he  placed  on  a  shelf.  He  closed  the 
door  after  him,  and  sat  down  on  a  box.  Ralph's 
range  of  vision  was  immediately  impeded.  Ike 
had  lifted  himself  to  the  edge  of  the  hogshead  and 
perched  there,  his  feet  dangling  and  beating  a 
tattoo  on  the  staves  with  his  heels. 

'  Now  then.  Slump,"  were  Cohen's  first  words, 
"  you're  bound  to  leave?  " 

"Haven't  I  got  to?"  demanded  Ike  testily. 
"  I'm  in  a  nice  box,  I  am — lost  my  job,  don't  dare 
to  go  home,  and  no  money." 

"  I  gave  you  some." 

"  A  measly  ten  dollars  in  a  week,  not  a  fiftieth 
part  of  what  I  brought  in.  See  here,  Cohen,  you 
172 


A   FREE   RIDE  173 

haven't  given  me  a  fair  deal.  I've  taken  all  the 
risk,  and  what  have  I  got?  " 

"  The  risk?  the  risk?  "  repeated  Cohen.  "  My 
young  friend,  it's  me  who  takes  all  the  risk.  Sup- 
pose the  railroad  men  should  drop  in  here  and  find 
the  stuff?  Where  would  I  be?  As  to  money, 
will  anybody  else  you  know  touch  the  stuff?  " 

"  Well,  I've  got  to  get  some  funds,  I'm  going 
to  slope  the  town  for  good,"  announced  Ike. 
"  Now,  there'll  be  no  slip  up  if  I  carry  out  your 
plans?" 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  answered  Cohen.  "  I  have 
no  facilities  here  for  handling  railroad  junk. 
Jacobs,  at  Dover,  has.  I  don't  dare  to  ship  it  by 
rail.  He  has  his  own  melters.  I  furnish  the 
horse  and  wagon.  We'll  load  you  up,  and  cover 
the  boxes  with  vegetables.  All  you've  got  to  do 
is  to  drive  out  of  town  and  deliver  the  goods  at 
Dover.  You  say  your  friend,  the  tramp,  will  go 
with  you?  " 

"Yes.  but  what  about  the  team?  I  won't 
come  back,  you  know.  I'm  going  West  for  a 
spell." 

"  Jacobs  will  attend  to  the  team.  See,  here  is 
a  letter — give  it  to  him.  He'll  give  you  the 
twenty-five  dollars  I  promised  you,  and  that's  the 
end  of  it." 

"  All  right.     What  time  shall  we  start?  " 


174  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  When  the  town  is  asleep,  and  nobody  nosing 
around.     Say  one  o'clock,  sharp." 

"  I'll  be  ready." 

The  conference  seemed  ended.  Ralph  compre- 
hended that  his  double  mission  would  be  inef- 
fective unless  he  got  word  to  Ike  Slump's  father 
and  the  roundhouse  foreman  within  the  next  four 
hours. 

He  lay  snug  and  still,  formulating  an  escape 
from  the  place  as  soon  as  the  two  plotters  should 
withdraw. 

Ike  slipped  to  the  floor,  took  out  a  cigarette,  lit 
it,  threw  the  match  away,  and  stretched  his  arms 
and  yawned. 

"  Give  me  a  little  loose  change  to  play  with  the 
crowd,  Cohen,  will  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

Cohen  reached  in  his  pocket,  but  very  quickly 
drew  out  his  hand  again  empty,  to  point  it 
excitedly  at  the  hogshead  with  the  sharp  cry. 

"Fire!  look  there!  You  stupid,  see  what 
you've  done!  " 

"What  have  I  done?    Ginger — the  cigarette!  " 

Ralph  quivered  as  he  listened  and  looked.  A 
swishing  sound  accompanied  a  brilliant  flare.  Ike 
had  carelessly  thrown  the  match  with  which  he 
had  lighted  his  cigarette  into  the  midst  of  the  dry, 
tindery  excelsior. 

"  Put  it  out!     Stamp  it  out  I  "  yelled  Cohen. 


A   FREE   RIDE  175 

Ike  grabbed  a  handful  or  two  of  the  flaming 
mass,  burned  his  fingers,  and  retreated,  while 
Cohen  made  a  frightened  rush  for  a  stand  in  one 
corner  of  the  room  holding  a  big  pitcher. 

He  ran  at  the  hogshead  with  it.  It  was  half- 
full  of  water.  Cohen  doused  it  into  the  hogshead 
just  as  Ralph,  unable  to  stand  the  pressure  any 
longer,  arose  upright. 

Ike  gave  a  stare  and  a  shout.  Cohen  jumped 
back  with  alarm  in  his  face.  The  water  had  ex- 
tinguished the  blaze,  but  the  episode  had  betrayed 
Ralph's  presence  to  his  enemy. 

"Who  are  you?"  ejaculated  Cohen  darkly, 
grasping  the  pitcher  and  again  advancing. 

"  Needn't  ask  him — I  know !  "  snapped  out  Ike. 
"  Grab  him,  Cohen !  It's  Ralph  Fairbanks,  from 
the  roundhouse,  and  he's  a  spy!  " 

Ralph  leaned  a  hand  on  the  hogshead  rim  to  get 
purchase  for  a  leap  out  of  his  difficulties.  Ike 
made  a  spring  for  him  and  grabbed  one  arm,  pre- 
venting the  movement. 

'  If  he's  a  railroader  and  a  spy,"  cried  Cohen, 
"  we're  in  for  it!  " 

"  Don't  let  him  go,  then — oh !  " 

Ike  went  spinning,  for  Ralph  had  given  him  a 
quick  blow,  knocking  him  aside.  Cohen  swung 
the  pitcher  aloft.  Down  it  came  with  terrific 
force.     Ralph  experienced  a  blow  on  the  side  of 


176         RALPH   OF   THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

the  head  that  instantly  shut  out  sense  and  sight. 
He  fell  over  the  edge  of  the  hogshead,  and  hung 
there  limp  and  lifeless. 

It  was  the  first  blank  in  his  life.  Its  duration 
Ralph  could  only  surmise  as  he  opened  his  eyes. 
At  first  he  fancied  he  was  blind,  for  everything 
was  pitchy  black  about  him.  He  sat  up  with  dif- 
ficulty, putting  a  hand  to  his  head  where  it  felt 
sore  and  smarted. 

Ralph  found  a  bad  cut  there,  which  had  bled 
profusely.  The  blow  with  the  pitcher  had  been 
cruelly  heavy.  He  sat  up,  swaying  to  and  fro, 
and  soon  traced  out  his  environment. 

He  was  in  a  freight  car,  its  doors  and  windows 
were  closed,  and  it  was  rolling  along  at  a  good 
fast  rate  of  speed. 

Ralph  reasoned  out  his  situation.  His  enemies 
had  fancied  he  was  seriously  hurt,  or  wanted  him 
out  of  the  way  until  they  could  safely  remove  the 
stolen  plunder.  His  hopes  and  plans  were  ef- 
fectually balked  if  he  had  been  long  insensible,  or 
was  far  on  the  free  trip,  for  which  they  had 
booked  him.  They  had  carried  him  from  Cohen's 
rooms  by  way  of  the  back  stairs,  had  thrown  him 
into  the  empty  car,  and  had  left  him  to  his  fate. 

Ralph  tried  the  side  door  of  the  car.  To  his 
satisfaction  it  shoved  open  freely.  Getting  his 
eyes  used  to  the  darkness  and  his  mind  clearer,  as 


A    FREE   RIDE  177 

the  moments  sped  by,  he  endeavored  to  guess  his 
location  and  estimate  the  time. 

He  was  partly  familiar  with  the  road,  and 
knew  considerable  as  to  the  various  passenger  and 
freight  trains  and  their  schedule  and  route. 
Ralph  concluded  that  he  was  on  the  regular  nine 
o'clock  freight,  which  usually  hauled  empties, 
going  south.  Judging  from  distant  lights  in 
houses  scattered  on  the  landscape,  he  estimated 
that  it  was  about  ten  o'clock. 

He  soon  surmised  from  landmarks  he  passed 
that  the  train  was  not  on  the  main  line.  As  he 
neared  a  cattle  pen  he  knew  exactly  where  he  was 
— two  miles  from  Acton  and  about  twenty-two 
from  Stanley  Junction. 

"  They  don't  stop  for  ten  miles,"  quickly 
reckoned  Ralph.  "  There's  the  creek.  I've  got 
to  get  to  Acton  and  back  to  the  Junction  before 
midnight,  if  I  hope  to  accomplish  anything." 

The  train  slowed  somewhat  on  the  up  grade. 
Ralph  clung  to  the  door  and  looked  ahead.  It 
was  a  long  train,  and  he  was  at  about  its  middle. 
He  had  an  idea  of  trying  to  get  to  the  roof,  run 
back  to  the  caboose,  and  try  and  interest  the  con- 
ductor. On  second  thought,  however,  he  realized 
that  he  could  not  expect  them  to  stop  for 
him.  He  would  only  lose  time.  A  daring  idea 
presented  itself  to  his  mind,  and  his  breath  came 


178  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

quick.  An  opportunity  hovered,  and  he  had  too 
much  reliance  in  himself  to  let  it  pass  by. 

"  I've  got  to  get  back  and  stop  the  removal  of 
that  stolen  plunder,"  he  kept  telling  himself  over 
and  over,  fixing  his  eyes  on  the  signals  that  indi- 
cated the  bridge  over  the  creek. 

Ralph  posed  for  a  spring  as  the  locomotive 
struck  the  bridge  and  the  gleaming  waters  came 
nearer  and  nearer.  The  bridge  had  no  railing, 
and  they  were  on  the  outer  side ;  Ralph  posed  him- 
self steady  and  true,  let  go  the  door,  and  leaped 
into  the  darkness  as  the  car  he  was  in  reached 
the  middle  of  the  bridge. 

Then  he  dropped  down  like  a  shot,  struck  the 
cold,  deep  water,  and  went  under. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

BEHIND    TIME 

The  boy  was  completely  at  home  in  the  water, 
but  the  present  instance  was  somewhat  extraor- 
dinary. The  shock  and  chill  of  his  daring  jump, 
added  to  his  naturally  weakened  condition  after 
Cohen's  stunning  blow  with  the  pitcher,  helped  to 
confuse  him.  But  he  never  lost  his  presence  of 
mind,  and  as  he  felt  himself  deprived  of  his  usual 
buoyancy,  he  struck  out  under  water  for  the 
shore. 

He  waited  on  the  bank  long  enough  for  the 
water  to  drip  off  from  him,  and  getting  his 
breath,  started  to  regain  the  railroad  tracks. 

When  he  came  to  a  little  station  he  found  it 
closed  for  the  night,  but  he  knew  that  the  agent 
must  live  in  some  one  of  the  few  houses  in  the 
settlement.  He  might  locate  him  and  induce  him 
to  come  to  the  station  and  telegraph  to  Stanley 
Junction.  With  the  aid  of  a  signal  lantern,  how- 
ever, Ralph  was  able  to  see  the  clock  in  the  sta- 
tion.    It  was  a  few  minutes  after  ten  o'clock. 

"  There's  a  train  reaches  the  Junction  at  eleven 
179 


180  RALPH    OF    THE    ROL'XDHOVSE 

twenty-five,"  lie  reflected.  "  By  hustling  I  can 
catch  it  at  Acton.  I  can  tell  more  and  do  more 
personally  in  five  minutes  than  I  can  in  five  hours 
by  wiring." 

Ralph  reached  Acton  some  minutes  before  the 
West  train  came  in.  He  had  some  change  in  his 
pocket,  paid  his  fare  to  the  Junction,  and  went  out 
on  the  rear  platform  as  they  neared  the  destina- 
tion. 

He  left  the  train  a  mile  from  the  depot,  swing- 
ing' off  at  a  point  that  would  enable  him  to  reach 
the  roundhouse  foreman's  house  by  a  short  cut. 

Ralph  found  the  place  closed  up.  There  was  a 
light  in  one  upper  room,  however,  and  he  had 
»nlv  to  knock  twice  when  Forgan  came  to  the 
door  in  his  shirt-sleeves. 

"  Is  it  you,  Fairbanks?  "  he  said,  in  some  sur- 
prise. 

"  Yes,  sir,  and — special !  " 

"Why,  what  have  you  been  into?"  exclaimed 
Forgan,  catching  a  glimpse  of  Ralph's  bedraggled 
form  and  disfigured  head. 

"  I  have  been  in  a  freight  car  for  one  thing, 
and  in  the  river  for  another,"  said  Ralph. 
"  There  is  no  time  to  lose,  Mr.  Forgan,  if  you 
want  to  get  back  those  stolen  fittings." 

"  You  know  where  they  are?  " 

"  I  know  where  they  were  at  eight  o'clock," 


BEHIND    TIME  181 

responded  Ralph,  "  but  I  know  they  won't  be 
there  much  after  midnight. 

"Good — wait  a  minute/'  directed  Forgan. 

He  hurried  back  into  the  house  and  returned 
drawing  on  his  coat.  "  I  was  just  going  to  bed," 
he  explained.  "  Now,  then,  Fairbanks/''  as  he 
led  the  way  to  the  street.  "  tell  your  story — 
quick." 

Ralph  recited  his  experience  of  the  past  four 
hours,  and  Forgan  hastened  his  steps  as  the  nar- 
ration developed  the  necessity  of  sharp,  urgent 
action. 

"  Fairbanks,  you  are  a  trump !  "  commended 
Forgan,  as  the  story  was  all  told.  "  I'll  leave  you 
here.  You  get  home,  into  dry  clothes,  and  have 
your  hurt  attended  to.  You  had  better  take  the 
sick-list  benefits  for  a  day  or  two.  Good-night — - 
till  I  have  something  more  definite  to  say  to  you." 

A  dismissal  did  not  suit  Ralph  at  all.  It  looked 
Jike  crowding  him  out  of  an  exciting  and  interest- 
ing game  only  half-finished. 

"  I  might  help  you  some  further,''  he  began, 
but  Forgan  interrupted  him  with  the  words : 

"  You've  done  the  real  work,  Fairbanks,  and 
neither  of  us  will  care  to  muddle  in  with  the  de- 
tails of  arrest.  I  shall  put  the  matter  directly  in 
the  hands  of  the  road  detective,  Matthewson.  I 
nm  sorry  for  his  father's  sake  if  Ike  Slump  gets 


i82  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

caught  in  the  net,  but  he  deserves  it  fully,  and  I 
can't  stop  to  risk  the  interests  of  the  railway 
company." 

Ralph  went  home.  As  he  expected,  his  mothei 
was  waiting-  up  for  him.  She  was  not  the  kind 
of  a  woman  to  faint  or  get  hysterical  at  the  sight 
of  a  little  blood,  but  she  was  anxious  and  trem- 
bling as  she  helped  Ralph  to  get  into  comfortable 
trim. 

"  Don't  worry,  mother,"  said  Ralph.  "  This 
is  probably  the  end  of  trouble  with  the  Ike  Slump 
complication." 

"  I  always  fear  an  enemy,  Ralph,"  sighed  th& 
widow.  "  It  seems  as  if  you  are  fated  to  have 
them  at  every  step.  I  keep  thinking  day  and 
night  about  Gasper  Farrington's  unmanly  threat." 

"  Mother,"  said  Ralph  earnestly,  "  I  am  try- 
ing to  do  right,  am  I  not?  " 

"  Oh,  Ralph — never  a  boy  better!  " 

"  Thank  you,  mother,  that  is  sweet  praise,  and 
worth  going  through  the  experience  that  will 
make  a  man  of  me.  Well,  I  am  going  to  keep 
right  on  doing  my  duty  the  best  way  I  know  how. 
I  expect  ups  and  downs.  Men  like  Farrington 
may  succeed  for  a  time,  but  in  the  end  I  believe  I 
shall  come  out  just  right." 

Ralph  found  himself  a  trifle  sore  and  stiff  the 
next  morning,  but  he  started  for  work  as  usual. 


BEHIND   TIME  183 

He  was  curious  as  to  the  outcome  of  the  fore- 
man's action  the  night  previous.  Forgan,  how- 
ever, did  not  show  up  at  the  roundhouse  till  ten 
o'clock.  He  at  once  called  Ralph  into  his  little 
office. 

"  Well,  Fairbanks,"  he  said  briskly,  "'  I  suppose 
you  will  be  interested  to  know  the  outcome  of  last 
night's  affair  ?  " 

"  Very  much  so,"  acknowledged  Ralph. 

"  The  road  detective  and  myself  were  at 
Cohen's  before  midnight.     The  birds  had  flown." 

"  Had  they  moved  the  plunder,  too?  " 

"  Yes,  what  you  described  as  being  in  boxes 
was  all  carted  away." 

"And  Ike  Slump  had  gone?" 

"  Presumably.  We  found  that  two  horses  and 
a  wagon  belonging  to  Cohen  were  missing.  The 
only  person  we  found,  outside  of  Cohen,  was  a 
little  fellow  asleep  in  an  outside  shed." 

"  Was  his  name  Teddy?  "  And  Ralph  gave  a 
rapid  description  of  the  county  farm  waif. 

"  That's  the  boy.  He's  in  jail  with  Cohen, 
now.  They  want  to  detain  him  as  a  witness.  In 
Cohen's  barn,  hidden  under  some  hay,  we  found 
two  old  locomotive  whistles.     He  claims  that  he 

* 

did  not  know  they  were  there.  The  road  detec- 
tive, however,  says  if  we  can  fasten  the  least  real 
suspicion  on  Cohen  and  break  up  his  fence,  we 


184  RALPH   OF    THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

will  have  rooted  out  this  robbery  evil,  for  the 
crowd  he  housed  and  encouraged  to  steal  has 
scattered." 

"  Has  Mr.  Matthewson  tried  to  overtake  the 
wagon? " 

"  Yes.  he  has  men  out  in  pursuit.  If  we  can 
recover  those  fittings,  Fairbanks,  it  will  be  a  glad 
day  for  me  and  a  lucky  one  for  you." 

But  with  the  arrest  of  Cohen,  his  release  on 
bail,  bound  over  to  appear  before  the  September 
grand  jury,  the  affair  seemed  ended. 

The  little  fellow,  Teddy,  could  not,  or  would 
not  tell,  much  and  was  also  released.  Ike  Slump's 
crowd  melted  away,  and  Ike  Slump,  and  his  tramp 
friend,  and  Cohen's  two  horses  and  wagon,  and 
the  boxed-up  brass  fittings,  had  vanished  as  com- 
pletely as  if  the  earth  had  opened  and  swallowed 
them  up. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

BARDON,    THE    INSPECTOR 

Matters  dropped  into  a  pleasant  routine  for 
Ralph,  the  two  weeks  succeeding-  his  rather 
stormy  introduction  into  active  railroad  life  at 
the  roundhouse  of  the  Great  Northern  at  Stanley 
Junction. 

It  was  like  a  lull  after  the  tempest.  The  youth- 
ful hoodlum  gang  that  had  been  a  menace  to 
Ralph  and  the  railroad  company  had  been  entirely 
broken  up. 

Tim  Forgan  was  a  changed  man.  He  and  the 
senior  Slump  had  drifted  apart,  and  the  fore- 
man's previous  irascibility  and  suspicious  gloom 
had  departed.  He  was  more  brisk,  natural  and 
cheery,  and  Ralph  believed  and  fervently  hoped 
had  given  up  the  tippling  habit  which  had  at 
times  made  him  a  capricious  slave  to  men  and 
moods. 

The  lame  helper  had  become  a  useful,  pleasant 
chum  to  Ralph.  There  was  not  a  day  that  he  did 
not  teach  the  novice  some  new  and  practical  point 
in  railroad  experience. 

185 


186  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Gasper  Farrington  Ralph  had  not  met  again. 

At  the  cottage  Van  led  an  even,  happy  exist- 
ence, making  no  trouble,  being  extremely  useful 
and  industrious,  and  daily  more  and  more  endear- 
ing himself  to  both  Ralph  and  Mrs.  Fairbanks. 

With  the  dog  house  crowd  Ralph  had  become 
a  general  favorite.  He  had  won  the  regard  of 
those  rough  and  ready  fellows,  and  his  loyal 
adhesion  to  Griscom  in  the  fire  at  the  shops,  his 
rescue  of  little  Nora  Forgan,  and  his  manly,  ac- 
commodating ways  generally,  had  enforced  their 
respect,  and  more  than  one  dropped  his  oaths  and 
coarseness  when  Ralph  approached,  and  they 
tipped  over  the  liquor  bottle  of  one  of  the 
"  extras  "  who  had  the  temerity  to  ask  Ralph  to 
test  its  contents. 

Altogether,  Ralph  was  going  through  a  happy 
experience,  and  every  day  life  and  railroading 
seemed  to  develop  some  new  charm  of  novelty 
and  progress. 

It  was  with  a  proud  spirit  that  he  took  home  his 
first  month's  salary,  twenty-seven  dollars  and 
some  odd  cents. 

Those  odd  cents,  with  some  added,  Ralph 
stopped  near  the  depot  to  hand  over  to  little 
Teddy. 

The  county  farm  orphan  had  been  turned  loose 
from  custody  after  a  week's  imprisonment,  with 


BARDON,   THE   INSPECTOR  187 

orders  10  report  to  the  police  at  nine  o'clock  every 
Monday  morning. 

He  was  practically  on  parole,  the  authorities 
hoping  that  on  the  trial  of  Cohen  he  might  give 
some  evidence  that  would  implicate  the  stolen- 
goods  receiver,  and  Ralph  had  run  across  the  lit- 
tle fellow  drifting  aimlessly  about  the  town. 

Ralph  had  a  long  talk  with  him,  then  he  decided 
to  "  stake  "  him  as  a  newsboy.  The  depot  watch- 
man agreed  to  let  him  sell  papers  at  the  train  exit, 
and  Teddy  had  done  fairly  well,  earning  enough 
to  pay  for  his  lodging,  Ralph  making  up  the 
deficiency  as  to  meals. 

It  was  a  bright  hour  in  Mrs.  Fairbanks'  life 
when,  after  putting  together  what  money  she  had 
with  Ralph's  earnings,  and  deducting  the  interest 
due  Gasper  Farrington,  they  were  able  to  count  a 
surplus  of  nearly  twelve  dollars. 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  took  the  interest  money  to  a 
bank  where  she  had  been  notified  the  note  was 
deposited,  paid  the  amount,  received  the  note,  and 
with  a  lightened  heart  contemplated  the  future. 

Two  mornings  later,  when  Ralph  entered  the 
roundhouse,  he  was  accosted  by  Limpy  in  a  keen, 
quick  way. 

"  Primping  day,  Fairbanks,"  said  the  lame 
helper.     "  You  want  to  hustle." 

"  What  are  you  getting  at?  "  inquired  Ralph. 


188  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Inspection." 

"  That's  new  to  me." 

"  So  I'll  explain.  The  inspector  is  oil  his  tour, 
we  got  the  tip  to-day.  Came  up  on  the  day'ight 
mail." 

"  What  does  he  inspect  ?  " 

"  Everything  from  a  loose  drop  of  oil  to  a 
boiler  dent.  He  is  so  beloved  that  the  dog  house 
crowd  kick  loose  all  the  litter  canu  saon  as  he's 
gone,  and  so  particular  that  he  insect?  die  loco- 
motives with  a  magnifying  glass." 

"  Who  is  he?  "  inquired  Ralph  cu.'icusly. 

"  Bardon  is  his  name — it  ought  to  be  Badone! 
He's  a  relative  of  and  trains  with  «Jhe  division 
superintendent.  He  acted  as  a  spy  at  the  switch- 
men's strike,  got  nearly  killed  for  hlfl  sneaking 
tactics,  and  the  company  rewarded  him  by  giving 
him  a  gentlemanly  position." 

Ralph  readily  saw  that  this  Mr.  Bardon  was 
not  a  favorite  with  the  rank  and  file  of  the  rail- 
road crowd. 

"  Well,  we'll  have  to  show  him  what  a  lot  of 
active  elbow  grease  will  do  towards  making  this 
a  model  roundhouse,"  said  Ralph  cheerfully. 

Limpy  was  not  at  all  in  harmony  with  this  idea, 
and  showed  it  plainly  by  action  and  words.  He 
and  the  others  considered  the  roundhouse  and  its 
privileges  essentially  their  personal  property,  and 


BARDON,    THE   INSPECTOR  189 

resented  advice  or  censure,  especially  from  a  man 
whom  they  intensely  disliked. 

During  the  afternoon  various  little  things  were 
done  about  the  dog  house  that  indicated  the  spirit 
of  the  crowd  there.  A  pasteboard  box  nailed  to 
the  wall  bore  written  directions  to  engineers  and 
firemen  to  keep  their  kid  gloves  there.  Another 
stated  that  brakemen  must  not  wear  turned  col- 
lars. Various  receptacles  were  labeled  "  For  cin- 
ders," "  Clean  your  nails  here,"  and  the  general 
layout  was  a  palpable  satire  on  the  strained  rela- 
tions with  an  expected  visitor  who  was  considered 
a  martinet. 

Ralph  went  carefully  and  conscientiously  to 
work  to  brighten  up  things  a  bit  and  make  them 
look  their  best,  while  Limpy  growled  and  grum- 
bled,at  him  all  the  afternoon. 

About  four  o'clock  the  lame  helper  was  enjoy- 
ing a  brief  respite  from  work  at  his  usual  loung- 
ing place,  standing  on  a  bench  and  looking  out  of 
a  window.  He  called  Ralph  so  suddenly  and 
sharply  that  the  latter  hurried  towards  him. 

"Quick!"  uttered  Limpy,  face  and  hands 
working  spasmodically,  as  they  always  did  when 
he  was  excited. 

"What's  up?"  inquired  Ralph,  leaping  to  the 
bench  beside  him. 

"  Look  there !  "  directed  the  helper. 


190  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

He  pointed  to  a  long  freight  train  backing 
down  the  tracks.     It  had  just  passed  a  switch. 

"  Pivot  loose,  and  the  signal  flanges  exactly 
reversed  !  "  pronounced  Limpy  quickly.  "  They 
think  they  are  on  track  A.  Say,  it's  sure  to  be 
a  smash !  " 

In  a  twinkling  Ralph's  eye  took  in  the  situa- 
tion. The  train  was  on  a  curve,  and  had  run  back 
all  right  in  response  to  switch  A,  set  open,  ac- 
cording to  the  white  indicator  on  top.  But  red 
should  have  shown,  it  appeared.  The  pivot 
holding  the  signal  in  unison  with  the  operating 
bar  must  have  become  loosened,  and  the  wind  had 
blown  the  signal  plate  awry 

The  freight,  therefore,  had  struck  track  B, 
which  a  hundred  feet  further  on  split  off  onto  two 
sets  of  rails.  Both  had  short  ends,  terminating 
at  bumpers,  and  each  held  a  single  car. 

Track  C  held  a  gaudy,  expensive  car  belonging 
to  some  traveling  show,  all  gold  and  glitter,  and 
must  have  cost  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  Track 
D  held  an  old  disabled  box  car.  And  into  one  or 
the  other  of  these  the  backing  freight  was  destined 
to  run  unless  checked  inside  of  the  next  half 
minute. 

"  Give  me  a  show !  "  spoke  Ralph,  in  a  hurry. 

He  brushed  Limpy  aside,  leaped  through  the 
window,  struck  the  ground  eight  feet  below  the 


BARDON,    THE   INSPECTOR  191 

high  sill,  and  made  a  run  towards  the  backing 
freight. 

The  curve  prevented  his  seeing  the  engine  or 
any  one  to  whom  he  might  signal.  He  doubled 
his  pace,  reached  the  split  switch,  unlocked  the 
bar,  half-lifted  it,  and  stood  undecided 

It  was  not  his  province  to  interfere,  he  well 
knew,  if  half  the  cars  on  the  road  were  reduced 
to  kindling  wood  through  the  mistake  or  careless- 
ness of  some  one  else,  but  action  was  irresistible 
with  his  impetuous  nature  when  the  same  meant 
timely  service. 

If  he  left  the  switch  as  it  now  was,  the  freight 
would  back  down  into  the  show  car  with  terrific 
destructive  force. 

It  seemed  a  pity  to  spoil  that  new  pretty  model 
of  the  car  builder's  art.  Ralph  discerned  that  the 
box  car  was  ready  for  the  scrap  heap,  and 
decided. 

He  pulled  the  switch  over,  not  a  moment  too 
soon,  jumped  back,  and  the  next  minute  the 
freight  train  struck  the  solitary  bo^  car,  and  it 
collapsed  like  a  folding  accordion. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A    NEW    ENEMY 

The  box  car  was  smashed  tectotally.  The  car 
that  struck  it  had  one  end  battered  in,  its  rear 
trucks  rode  up  over  the  debris  threatening  to 
telescope  or  derail  others,  but  the  engineer  ahead, 
catching  the  token  of  some  obstruction  from  the 
shock,  shut  off  steam  quick  enough  to  prevent  any 
very  serious  general  results. 

The  crash  had  sounded  far  and  wide.  Ralph 
stood  surveying  the  wreck  and  ruin  in  a  kind  of 
fascinated  daze. 

Yardmen  came  rushing  up  from  all  directions. 
Soon  toe,  the  brakeman  of  the  freight  and  its 
engineer  were  hurrying  to  the  scene  of  the  wreck. 

More  leisurely,  a  man  carrying  a  cane,  fault- 
lessly dressed,  and  accompanied  by  the  depot 
master,  crossed  from  the  semaphore  house  to  the 
spot. 

Ralph  turned  to  look  at  the  stranger  of  the 
twain  as  he  heard  a  voice  in  the  crowd  say : 

"  There's  Bardon.  the  inspector." 

The  engineer  was  vociferously  disclaiming  any 
192 


A   NEW   ENEMY  193 

responsibility  in  the  affair,  and  his  brakeman  tran- 
quilly listened  to  him  as  he  recited  that  he  had 
taken  signals  as  set. 

The  one-armed  switchman  who  had  charge  of 
these  tracks  appeared  on  the  scene,  his  signal  flag 
stuck  under  his  perfect  arm,  and  looking  flustered. 

Everybody  was  asking  questions  or  explaining, 
as  the  depot  master  and  his  companion  edged  their 
way  to  the  rails. 

Ralph  had  a  full  view  now  of  the  man  he  knew 
to  be  Bardon,  the  inspector. 

His  first  impression  was  a  vivid  one.  He  saw 
nothing  in  the  coarse,  sensual  lips  and  shifty, 
sneering  eye  of  the  man  to  commend  him  for 
either  humanity  or  ability. 

"What's  the  trouble  here?"  questioned  Bar- 
don, with  the  air  of  a  person  owning  everything 
in  sight,  and  calling  down  the  humble  myrmidons 
who  had  dared  to  interfere  with  the  smooth  work- 
ings of  an  immaculate  railway  system. 

"  You  ought  to  be  able  to  see,"  growled  the 
freight  engineer  bluntly. 

The  inspector  frowned  at  this  free-and-easy, 
offhand  offense  to  his  dignity  and  importance. 

"  I'm  Bardon,"  he  said,  as  if  the  mention  of 
that  name  would  suffice  to  bring  the  stalwart 
engineer  to  the  dust. 

"  I  know  you  are,"  said  the  latter  indifferently- 


194  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Cut  off  the  two  last  cars,"  he  ordered  to  his 
brakeman,  turning  his  back  on  Bardon  and  start- 
ing- back  for  his  engine  to  pull  out. 

"  Hold  on,"  ordered  the  inspector. 

The  engineer  halted  with  a  sullen,  disrespectful 
face. 

"  Well?"  he  projected. 

"  Who's  to  blame  in  this  smash  up?  " 

"  Tain't  me,  that's  dead  sure,"  retorted  the 
engineer,  with  a  careless  shrug  of  his  shoulders, 
"  and  we'll  leave  it  to  the  yardmaster  to  find  out." 

"  /  want  to  find  out,"  spoke  Bardon  incisively 
■ — "  I  am  here  to  do  just  this  kind  of  thing. 
Can't  you  read  a  signal  right?  "  he  demanded  of 
the  brakeman. 

The  latter  smiled  a  lazy  smile,  lurched  amusedly 
from  side  to  side,  took  a  chew  of  tobacco,  and 
counter-questioned  : 

"Can't  you?" 

Mr.  Bardon,  inspector,  was  getting  scant  cour- 
tesy shown  him  all  around,  and  his  eyes  flashed. 
He  deigned  to  glance  at  the  first  switch.  It  was 
set  wrong,  he  could  detect  that  at  a  glance. 

"How's  this?"  he  called  to  the  one-armed 
switchman  sharply.     "  You're  responsible  here." 

"  I  reckon  not,  cap'n,"  answered  the  man 
lightly.  "  The  switch  is  set  on  rule.  I  got  no 
signal  to  change  it." 


A   NEW  ENEMY  195 

"  But  the  indicator's  wrong?  " 

"  That's  the  repair  gang's  business — and  the 
wind.  The  Great  Northern  don't  own  the  wind, 
so  I  reckon  it  will  have  to  pocket  the  loss  grace- 
fully." 

Bardon  bit  his  lips. 

"We've  saved  the  junkmen  a  job  as  it  is,"  said 
the  freight  engineer.  "  The  switch  was  set  for 
track  C.  You'd  have  had  a  pretty  bill  if  you'd 
smashed  that  twenty-thousand  dollar  show  car 
yonder." 

"  That's  right — the  switch  was  C  open,"  de- 
clared the  switchman. 

"Then  who  changed  it?"  demanded  Bardon, 
scenting  a  chance  yet  to  exploit  his  meddling, 
nosing  qualifications. 

Ralph  hesitated.  He  doubted  if  Bardon  was 
the  proper  party  to  whom  to  report.  He,  how- 
ever, simplified  the  situation  by  saying : 

"  I  did  it,  sir." 

"  Eh  ?  Why — you !  "  exclaimed  the  inspector, 
turning  on  him  with  a  malevolent  scowl. 

"Yes.  sir." 

"  \\ 'hat  did  you  change  it  for?  " 

The  freight  engineer  gave  a  derisive  guffaw. 

"To  save  the  show  car,  of  course!"  he  said 
quickly.  "  The  company  <7  res  you  about  nine- 
teen thousand  nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine  dol- 


196  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

lars,  kid !  "  declared  the  engineer,  giving  Ralph 
a  glance  of  the  profoundest  admiration. 

But  Mr.  Bardon,  inspector,  was  not  to  be 
moved  by  matters  of  sentiment.  He  fixed  a 
stony  stare  on  the  free-and-easy  engineer,  and 
turned  upon  Ralph,  the  icy,  immovable  discipli- 
narian to  perfection. 

"  What  right  have  you  to  tamper  with  the  rail- 
way company's  switches?"  he  demanded. 

"None,  perhaps,"  answered  Ralph,  "but " 

"  You  are  a  switchman?  " 

"  No,  sir,  but  I  am  an  employe  of  the  com- 
pany." 

"Oh,  you  are?" 

Ralph  bowed. 

"  In  what  capacity?  " 

"  Wiper." 

"  At  the  roundhouse  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  you  took  it  on  yourself  to " 

"  To  choose  the  best  horn  of  a  dilemma,  and 
saved  the  company  a  big  lump  of  money,"  put  in 
the  imperturbable  freight  engineer.  "And  bully 
for  you,  kid !  and  if  we  had  more  sharp  young 
eyes  and  ready  wits  like  yours,  there  would  not  be 
so  many  smash-ups.     That's  right,  Bardon  ?  " 

The  inspector  scowled  dreadfully.  If  the  en- 
gineer had  called  him  Mr.  Bardon  he  might  have 


A   NEW   ENEMY  197 

coincided  in  the  view  of  the  case  presented. 
Turning-  his  back  on  the  free  and  fearless  knight 
of  the  lever  as  if  he  was  dirt  under  his  feet,  he 
took  out  a  pencil  and  memorandum  book. 

"  I'll  look  into  this  matter  myself,"  he  said 
severely.  "  You  say  you  are  a  wiper,  young 
man?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  assented  Ralph. 

"  Name?  " 

"  Fairbanks — Ralph  Fairbanks." 

"What— eh?     Oh,   yes!   Ralph   Fairbanks." 

The  young  railroader  regarded  the  inspector 
with  positive  astonishment  as  he  uttered  that 
sharp  startling  "  What."  He  was  manifestly 
roused  up.  Quickly,  however,  Bardon  recovered 
himself,  looked  Ralph  over  with  a  decided  show 
of  interest,  seemed  secretly  thinking  of  some- 
thing, and  then,  fingering  over  the  pages  of  his 
memorandum  book,  appeared  looking  for  a  nota- 
tion, found  it  apparently,  glanced  again  at  Ralph 
in  a  sinister  way,  and  said  calmly : 

"  Very  well,  get  your  time." 

"What  is  that,  sir?"  exclaimed  Ralph,  startled 
anew. 

"  Laid  off,  pending  an  investigation,"  added 
Bardon. 

Ralph's  heart  beat  a  trifle  unsteadily,  but  he 
straightened  up  with  decision. 


198  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Does  that  mean,  Mr.  Bardon,  that  I  am  not 
to  go  back  to  work?  " 

"  You  can  understand  what  you  like,"  snapped 
the  inspector,  seemingly  glad  to  show  his  author- 
ity to  this  disrespectful  crowd,  and  appearing  to 
bear  some  personal  spite  against  Ralph  in  partic- 
ular, "  only  you  are  suspended  until  this  matter 
is  looked  into." 

Bardon  turned  to  resume  his  way  with  the 
depot  master,  who  looked  bored  and  uneasy. 

"  Hold  on !  "  thundered  a  tremendous  bass 
voice.     "  That  don't  work." 

A  greasy  paw  closed  around  the  immaculate 
coat-sleeve  of  the  inspector,  who  turned  with  a 
brow  as  dark  as  a  thunder  cloud. 

"  Drop  my  arm — what  do  you  mean !  " 
breathed  Bardon,  with  a  glance  at  the  husky 
freight  engineer  as  if  he  would  annihilate  him. 

"  Just  this,  Mr.  Inspector  Bardon,"  said  the 
engineer,  with  a  never-quailing  eye  and  the  zest 
of  extreme  satisfaction  in  words  and  bearing 
"you  can't  lay  anybody  off." 

"  I  represent  the  Great  Northern  Railway 
Company,"    announced    Bardon   grandiloquently. 

"  Read  your  rules,  then,"  retorted  the  en- 
gineer, "  and  see  how  far  it  will  sustain  you  in 
exceeding  your  duties.  I  tell  you  they  won't  up- 
hold you,  and  I  speak  with  the  voice  of  eighty* 


A   NEW   ENEMY  199 

six  thousand  men  and  their  auxiliaries  behind 
me — the  International  Brotherhood  of  Locomo- 
tive Engineers." 

Bardon  stood  nonplussed.  He  fidgeted  and 
turned  ghastly  with  vexation. 

"  I'll  see  that  the  proper  official  carries  out  my 
instructions  just  the  same,"  he  said  in  a  kind  of  a 
vicious  hiss. 

"  There's  just  one  man  to  help  you,  then," 
coolly  anounced  the  engineer,  "  and  that's  Tim 
Forgan." 

The  inspector  moved  hastily  away. 

"  And  he  won't  do  it ! "  concluded  the  en- 
gineer, in  an  chuckling  undertone,  giving  Ralph 
•)  ringing  slap  on  the  shoulder. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

DIAMOND    CUT    DIAMOND 

Ralph  went  back  to  the  roundhouse  a  trifle 
perturbed  in  his  mind  as  to  the  outcome  of  the 
episode  of  the  hour. 

Something  instinctively  told  him  that  he  was 
about  to  have  trouble.  He  did  not  like  that 
violent  start  of  the  inspector  when  he  heard  his 
name,  and  there  was  something  sinister  in  the 
way  Bardon  had  looked  up  some  memoranda,  and 
afterwards  eyed  him  as  a  vulture  might  its  prey. 

Limpy  nearly  had  a  fit  when  he  had  managed 
to  probe  out  of  Ralph  the  details  of  his  arraign- 
ment by  the  great  and  potent  inspector. 

"  Lay  you  off"  for  saving  the  company  a  small 
fortune?"  raved  the  helper  indignantly.  "  Say! 
you  just  tell  that  malicious  scoundrel  I  told  you 
to  change  the  switch." 

"  I  shall  do  nothing  of  the  kind,"  answered 
Ralph  calmly,  "  and  you  are  a  good  deal  more 
worried  about  the  affair  than  I  am.  I  acted  as 
common  sense  and  duty  dictated,  and  I  do  not 
fear  the  final  outcome." 

Just  before  quitting-time  Bardon  came  into  the 
200 


DIAMOND    CUT  DIAMOND  201 

roundhouse.  He  was  closeted  with  the  foreman 
in  his  office  until  the  whistle  sounded,  and  as 
Ralph  left  the  place  both  came  out  and  began  a 
tour  of  the  place. 

"  I  expect  something  will  drop  in  the  morn- 
ing!" Ralph  half-jocularly  told  Limpy,  as  he  bade 
him  good-night. 

Ralph  made  it  a  rule  to  tell  his  mother  every- 
thing of  interest  and  importance  that  came  up 
during  the  day.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  manifestly 
troubled  when  he  had  recited  his  encounter  with 
Bardon. 

After  supper  Ralph  went  out  with  Van  to  in- 
spect the  new  chicken  coop  he  had  just  built.  He 
was  surprised  and  pleased  at  the  patience,  ingenu- 
ity and  actual  hard  work  displayed  in  the  same, 
and  Van  seemed  to  show  a  deeper  appreciation 
and  understanding  of  Ralph's  commendation 
than  he  had  heretofore  displayed. 

Ralph  viewed  him  thoughtfully.  He  again  be- 
gan considering  a  plan  to  take  Van  down  the  road 
some  day  on  the  chance  of  locating  his  former 
home. 

At  nine  o'clock  that  evening,  just  as  Ralph  was 
locking  up  for  the  night,  there  came  a  tremendous 
thump  at  the  front  door. 

Ralph  went  thither,  to  confront  Big  Denny,  the 
yard  watchman. 


202  RALPH    OF    THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

Denny  was  in  a  feverish  state  of  excitement, 
was  perspiring,  prancing-  about  with  his  cane, 
never  still,  and  laboring  under  some  severe  mental 
agitation. 

"Alone,  Fairbanks?"  he  projected,  in  a  start- 
ling, breathless  kind  of  a  way. 

"  They've  all  gone  to  bed  but  myself,"  an- 
swered Ralph. 

"  Can  I  come  in?  '" 

"  Surely,  and  welcome." 

Denny  thumped  into  the  little  parlor.  He 
mopped  his  brow  prodigiously,  loosened  his  col- 
lar, fidgeted  and  fumed,  and  after  looking  cau- 
tiously around  put  his  finger  mysteriously  to  his 
lips  with  the  hoarsely-whispered  injunction: 

"  Secret  as  the  grave,  Fairbanks !  " 

Ralph  nodded,  with  a  smile  indulging  the  whim 
or  mood  of  his  good  loyal  friend,  who  he  knew 
was  given  to  heroics. 

"  What's  the  trouble?  "  he  asked. 

"  Bardon." 

"  I  fancied  so,"  said  Ralph. 

"  Came  right  up  here  to  see  you,"  explained 
Denny.     "  Forgan  sent  me." 

"The  foreman?"  murmured  Ralph,  in  some 
surprise. 

"  Yes.     You  are  not  to  report  in  the  morning." 

"  Does  Mr.  Forgan  say  so?  " 


DIAMOND   CUT  DIAMOND  203 

"  Strictly.  You  are  not  to  come  near  the 
roundhouse  for  a  good  many  days.  They've  got 
it  in  for  you,  and  Tim  Forgan  and  I  are  going  to 
rout  'em,  horse  and  harness!  " 

"  Rout  whom?" 

"  Bardon  and  Farrington." 

Rdph  started  at  this  mention  of  his  capitalist 
enemy. 

"  Mr.  Farrington?  "  he  repeated. 

"  Yes,  old  Farrington." 

"  What  has  he  got  to  do  with  it?  " 

"  Everything,"  declared  Denny  expansively — 
"  everything!  The  company  is  going  to  lay  you 
off.5' 

"  Very  well,"  commented  Ralph  quietly. 

"  Pending  an  investigation  of  the  smash  up  of 
this  afternoon." 

"  I  apprehended  it." 

"  Do  you  know  what  that  means  ? "  cried 
Denny,  growing  excited — "  red  tape.  Do  you 
know  what  red  tape  means?  Delay,  bother,  no 
satisfaction,  tire  you  out,  get  you  out,  throw  you 
out !  They  catch  weasels  asleep,  though,  ha !  ha ! 
when  they  try  it  on  two  old  war-horses  like  Tim 
and  me !  " 

Big  Denny  hugged  himself  in  the  enjoyment  of 
some  pleasing  idea  not  yet  fully  expressed. 

"Here's  the  program,"  he  went  on:  "the  in- 


204  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

spector  came  to  Forgan.  He'd  got  hold  of  the 
smashed  roundhouse  wall  incident,  and  he  had 
hold  of  the  freight  smash-up  to-day.  Said  an 
example  must  be  made,  system  must  be  preserved, 
at  least  a  report  to  headquarters,  and  an  investi- 
gation." 

"  What  did  Mr.  Forgan  say?  "  inquired  Ralph. 
"  Listened — solemnly,  didn't  say  a  word." 
"Oh!" 

"  Until  Bardon  asked  him  bluntly  to  lav  vou 
off." 

"And  then?" 

"Refused — point-blank.  Bardon  left  in  a  huff. 
with  a  threat ;  Tim  gave  me  my  point.  I  followed 
him.  Well,  soon  as  he  gets  back  to  Springfield 
he's  going  to  get  an  order  over  Forgan's  head  to 
lay  you  off." 

"  Can  he  do  it?  " 

"  He  won't  do  it." 

"Why  not?" 

"  For  a  simple  reason." 

"Which  is?" 

"  We  block  his  game.  Have  you  got  pen,  ink 
and  paper  in  the  house?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Fetch  it  out." 

Ralph  wondered  a  little,  but  realized  that  he 
^vas  in  the  hands  of  loval  friends. 


DIAMOND    CUT   DIAMOND  205 

'■  Now  then,  you  write,"  directed  Denny. 
"  Mind  you,  Forgan  is  in  this  with  me.  You 
write." 

"  Write  what?  " 

"  Your  resignation  from  railroad  service." 

"  Whew !  "  exclaimed  Ralph,  putting-  down  the 
pen  forcibly. 

"Looks  hard,  does  it?"  chuckled  Denny. 

"  Why — yes." 

"  You'll  do  it,  just  the  same,"  predicted  the  big 
watchman.  "  That  resignation  goes  to  head- 
quarters. That  ends  Ralph  Fairbanks,  wiper, 
doesn't  it?  " 

"  I  suppose  it  does — it  looks  very  much  like 
it!  "  added  Ralph  vaguely. 

"  It  baffles  Mr.  Inspector  Bardon,  who  drops 
the  matter,  beaten." 

"  But  I've  got  to  work  for  a  living,"  suggested 
Ralph,  in  a  half-troubled  way. 

"  All  right,  we've  fixed  that — that's  another 
section  of  the  same  game.  Write  out  your 
resignation,  and  I'll  tell  you  something  interest- 
ing.    Good !  " 

With  complacency  and  satisfaction  the  watch- 
man folded  up  and  pocketed  the  resignation  that 
Ralph  wrote  and  handed  him  with  evident 
reluctance. 

"  That  settles  the  fact  that  Ralph  Fairbanks  is 


206  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

not  a  discharged  employee !  "  chuckled  Denny. 
"  Now  then,  sign  that." 

The  watchman  had  produced  two  papers.  In 
astonishment  Ralph  recognized  one  as  a  check 
drawn  in  his  favor  by  the  railroad  company  for 
twenty  dollars. 

The  other  was  a  receipt  witnessing  that  he  had 
been  reimbursed  for  time,  damage  to  wearing 
apparel  and  railroad  expenses  the  night  he  had 
discovered  the  stolen  brass  fittings.  In  brackets 
was  the  notation :  "  Special  Service  work." 

"  But  I  only  spent  thirty-five  cents  for  car  fare, 
and  the  suit  of  clothes  I  soaked  is  as  good  as 
ever,"  declared  Ralph. 

"  You  do  as  you're  told,  Fairbanks,"  directed 
Denny,  with  a  magnanimous  wave  of  his  hand. 
"  Now  then,  we,  Tim  and  I  and  Matthewson,  the 
road  detective,  estimate  you  had  better  keep  active 
hands  off  railroading  for  about  two  weeks.  In 
the  meantime,  Matthewson  says  you  can  take  a 
run  between  here  and  Dover." 

"  That's  where  the  stolen  stuff,  and  horse  and 
wagon,  and  Ike  Slump  and  the  tramp  were 
started  for."  said  Ralph. 

"  Exactly.  They  did  not  arrive.  Matthew- 
son's  men  have  failed  to  discover  the  least  trace 
of  the  layout  after  leaving  Stanley  Junction." 

"  Does  he  expect  me  to?  " 


DIAMOND   CUT  DIAMOND  207 

"  Who  can  tell — he  wants  you  to  try.  Has 
considerable  faith  in  your  abilities — as  we  have. 
He  gives  you  two  weeks  at  ten  dollars  a  week. 
Here's  your  credentials — pass  on  any  hand  car, 
freight  train,  box  or  gondola,  passenger  coach, 
smoker  or  parlor  car,  locomotive,  freight,  switch 
or  passenger,  on  the  Great  Northern  and  all  its 
branches." 

Ralph  caught  his  breath  short  and  quick.  This 
remarkable  dovetailing  of  events  and  prospects 
was  rather  exciting. 

Having  got  rid  of  his  budget  of  intelligence, 
Big  Denny  subsided  somewhat.  He  had  some- 
thing more  on  his  mind,  however,  and  he  began 
in  a  more  serious  way: 

"  And  now,  Fairbanks,  for  the  real  milk  in  the 
cocoanut." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  this  isn't  all?  " 

"  Scarcely.  We  might  have  taken  care  of  you 
in  a  less  complicated  way,  only  that  we  made  a 
certain  discovery." 

Ralph  looked  interested  and  expectant. 

"It  was  this:  Rardon,  the  inspector,  Bardon, 
the  ex-spy,  is  connected  with  Mr.  Gasper  Farring- 
ton." 

Ralph  said  nothing.  He  recalled,  however, 
the  threat  of  the  crafty  old  capitalist.  His  enemy 
had  started  in  to  use  his  influence. 


208  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Yes,"  declared  Denny,  "  Bardon  went  straight 
to  Farrington's  house.  When  lie  left  there  he 
went  to  find  some  old-time  cronies  at  the  Junc- 
tion Hotel.  I  had  a  friend  listening  to  some  of 
his  boastful  talk.  We  know  at  this  moment  that 
Gasper  Farrington  offers  him  five  hundred  dol- 
lars to  get  you  discharged  and  away  from  Stanley 
Junction."' 

"  Which  he  won't  do!"  said  Ralph  very  pos- 
itively. 

"  Not  while  Tim  and  I  are  on  deck."  declared 
Denny  as  positively.  "  Listen,  Fairbanks :  before 
Saturday  night  Forgan  will  see  the  master  me- 
chanic, before  the  following  Wednesday  the  mas- 
ter mechanic  will  see  the  division  superintend- 
ent, before  the  following  Saturday  the  president 
of  the  road  will  have  in  his  possession  your  full 
and  complete  record,  beginning  with  your  heroic 
conduct  at  the  fire  at  the  yards,  the  rescue  of  little 
Nora  Forgan,  the  discovery  of  the  stolen  fittings, 
the  saving  of  the  show  car  to-day.  and  your 
general  good  conduct  and  efficiency  in  the  ser- 
vice." 

Ralph  flushed  at  the  hearty  encomiums  of  this 
loyal  old  friend. 

"  In  another  week,"  continued  Denny,  rolling 
the  words  over  in  his  mouth  and  sprawling  out 
with    a    sense   of    the   keenest    enjoyment,    "  we 


DIAMOND   CUT  DIAMOND  209 

guarantee,  Tim  and  I,  a  letter,  something  like 
this:  'Air.  Ralph  Fairbanks:  Dear  Sir:  Please 
come  back  to  work.'  " 

"  I'll  thank  vou,"  said  Ralph,  with  bright,  glad, 
shining  eyes.     "  My  old  place  again — as  wiper." 

"  Not  much !  "  negatived  Big  Denny,  looking 
bigger  than  ever  as  he  rose  to  the  full  magnitude 
of  his  final  declaration — "  as  switch  towerman 
for  the  Great  Northern  Railway  at  sixty  dollars 
a  month ! " 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

A     ROVING     COMMISSION 

It  was  difficult  for  Ralph  to  sleep  after  the 
departure  of  Big  Denny.  He  was  still  under  the 
disturbing  influence  of  the  exciting  events  of  the 
afternoon  and  evening.  His  mother  had  not 
been  disturbed  by  the  watchman's  visit.  Ralph 
finally  strolled  out  into  the  garden,  and  sat  down 
in  the  little  summer  house  to  rest  and  think. 

He  did  not  exactly  feel  as  though  he  were  at 
the  height  of  his  ambition,  but  Ralph  did  feel 
exceedingly  thankful  and  encouraged.  He 
valued  most  the  friends  he  had  gained  personally, 
from  the  lowly  walks  of  life  it  was  true,  but  who 
had  been  bettered  and  elevated  by  the  contact. 

The  pre-eminent  thought  now  in  Ralph's  mind 
was  concerning  Gasper  Farrington.  Had  things 
gone  on  smoothly,  and  had  the  magnate  left  him 
alone,  Ralph  might  have  been  inclined  to  accept 
the  situation.  His  mother  did  not  care  to  rouse  a 
sleeping  enemy,  and  he  would  have  respected  her 
decision.  But  now  that  Farrington  had  so 
palpably  shown  his  intentions,  had  declared  war 

210 


A   ROVING   COMMISSION  211 

to  the  knife,  bitter  and  vindictive,  all  the  fighting 
instincts  in  Ralph's  nature  arose  to  the  crisis. 

"  I  shall  not  take  Mr.  Matthewson's  ten  dollars 
a  week  unless  I  find  the  stolen  plunder  and  really 
earn  the  money,"  Ralph  reflected.  "  It  is  hardly 
probable  I  shall  succeed  along  that  line,  after  his 
expert  assistants  have  failed.  But  in  trying  to 
locate  Van's  friends  I  shall  probably  be  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Dover,  and  I  may  stumble 
across  some  clew  to  Ike  Slump's  whereabouts." 

Ralph  went  inside  the  house  after  an  hour  and 
brought  out  a  railroad  map.  He  studied  the 
route  of  the  Great  Northern  and  the  location  of 
Dover,  and  went  to  bed  full  of  the  plan  of  his  pro- 
jected journey. 

He  showed  his  mother  the  check  for  the  twenty 
dollars  and  his  pass  over  the  road  the  next  morn- 
ing, and  explained  his  projects  fully.  They  met 
with  the  widow's  approbation. 

"  Not  that  I  want  to  get  rid  of  Van,"  she  said 
feelingly.  "  He  has  grown  very  dear  to  me, 
Ralph.  Poor  fellow !  Perhaps  it  is  his  affliction 
that  appeals  to  me,  out  I  should  be  very  lonely 
with  him  away." 

"  I  do  not  think  he  has  many  friends  who  care 
for  him,"  theorized  Ralph,  "  or  there  would  have 
been  some  search,  or  inquiry  through  the  news- 
papers." 


212  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

After  breakfast  Ralph  went  to  the  depot.  He 
found  his  young;  pensioner,  Teddy,  in  high 
feather  over  success  in  getting  two  hours'  regular 
employment  a  day  delivering  bundles  for  a  dry- 
goods  store.  Ralph  gave  him  some  encouraging 
advice,  and  went  to  see  the  young  doctor  who  had 
attended  Van. 

He  explained  his  intended  experiment  clearly, 
and  asked  the  physician's  opinion  as  to  its  practic- 
ability. 

"  Try  it  by  all  means,"  advised  the  doctor 
heartily.  "  It  can  do  no  harm,  and  the  sight  of 
some  familiar  place  may  be  the  first  step  towards 
clearing  the  lad's  clouded  mind.  A  great  shock 
robbed  him  of  reason ;  a  like  event,  such  as 
strong,  sudden  confrontation  by  some  person  or 
place  he  has  known  for  years,  may  restore  mem- 
ory instantly." 

Ralph  was  encouraged.  "When  he  went  home 
he  sat  down  with  Van  and  tried  to  fix  his  atten- 
tion. 

It  was  very  difficult.  His  strange  guest  would 
listen  and  look  pleased  at  his  attention,  but  his 
eyes  would  wander  irresistibly  after  some  flutter- 
ing butterfly,  or  with  a  gleam  of  satisfaction  over 
to  the  wood  pile  his  careful  manipulation  had 
made  as  neat  and  symmetrical  as  a  storekeeper's 
show  case. 


A   ROVING   COMMISSION  213 

Ralph  pronounced  in  turn  the  name  of  every 
station  on  the  main  line  of  the  Great  Northern, 
but  Van  betokened  no  recognition  of  any  of  them. 

Ralph  waited  in  the  neighborhood  of  Griscom's 
house  after  the  10.15  express  came  in,  and  inter 
cepted  the  engineer  on  his  way  homeward. 

He  showed  his  pass  and  explained  his  project. 
He  wanted  Griscom  to  allow  himself  and  Van  to 
ride  on  the  tender  to  the  end  of  his  run  and  back. 

,;  That's  all  right,  Fairbanks,"  said  the  engi- 
neer, "  pass  or  no  pass.  Be  on  hand  at  the  water 
tank  yonder  as  we  pull  out  the  afternoon  train. 
I'll  slow  up  and  take  you  on." 

Ralph  tried  to  express  to  Van  that  afternoon 
that  they  were  going  on  a  journey.  Van  only 
looked  rixecfly  at  him,  but  when  Mrs.  Fairbanks 
handed  him  a  parcel  of  lunch,  he  proudly  stowed 
it  under  one  arm,  and  when  she  put  on  him  a 
clean  collar  and  necktie,  he  showed  more  than 
normal  animation,  as  though  he  caught  a  dim 
inkling  that  something  out  of  the  usual  was  on 
me  programme. 

Van  went  placidly  with  Ralph.  The  afternoon 
train  came  along  a  few  minutes  after  they  had 
reached  the  water  tank. 

"  Now  then,"  said  Ralph,  as  Griscom  slowed 
up,  "  be  lively,  Van  !  " 

His  words  may  have  conveyed  no  particular 


214  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

meaning  to  his  companion,  but  the  approaching 
train,  the  picturesque  track  environment  and 
Ralph's  energetic  motions  roused  up  Van,  whose 
face  betokened  an  eagerness  out  of  the  common 
as  he  commented : 

"  Engine." 

"  Yes,  Van." 

"  Ride." 

Ralph  bundled  him  up  into  the  cab,  clambered 
back  into  the  tender,  and  made  a  comfortable 
seat  for  Van  on  top  of  the  coal. 

On  that  perch  the  lad  seemed  a  happy  monarch 
of  all  he  surveyed.  Ralph  realized  that  the 
variety  and  excitement  had  a  stimulating  influ- 
ence on  his  mind,  and  that  even  if  nothing 
materialized  in  the  way  of  discoveries  from  the 
trip,  the  general  effect  on  Van  would  be  at  least 
beneficial. 

Griscom  tossed  a  cheery  word  to  his  young 
passengers  ever  and  anon.  His  fireman,  a  new 
hand,  was  kept  busy  at  the  shovel,  and  had  no 
time  to  inspect  or  chum  with  the  boys. 

They  passed  station  after  station.  Ralph  kept 
a  close  watch  on  Van's  face.  It  was  as  expres- 
sionless as  ever.  His  eyes  roamed  everywhere, 
and  he  was  evidently  at  the  pinnacle  of  compla- 
cent enjoyn\  'tit. 

Outside  of  that,  however,  Van  gave  no  indica- 


A   ROVING   COMMISSION  215 

tion  that  he  saw  anything  in  the  landscape  or  the 
depot  crowds  they  passed  that  touched  a  respOxi- 
sive  chord  of  recognition  in  his  nature. 

Forty  miles  down  the  road  was  Wilmer.  It 
was  quite  a  town.  Southwest  forty  miles  lay 
Dover,  and  west  was  the  wild,  wooded  stretch 
known  as  "  The  Barrens."  This  was  no  mis- 
nomer. There  were  said  to  be  less  than  twenty 
habitations  in  the  desolate  eighty  miles  of  ter- 
ritory. 

The  Great  Northern  had  originally  surveyed 
ten  miles  into  this  section  with  the  intention  of 
crossing  it,  as  by  that  route  it  could  strike  a  favor- 
able terminal  point  at  a  great  economy  of  distance. 
The  difficulties  of  clearing  and  grading  were 
found  so  unsurmountable  for  an  infant  road, 
however,  that  the  project  had  been  finally 
abandoned. 

They  passed  Wilmer.  Signals  called  for 
"  slow  "  ahead,  as  a  freight  was  running  for  a 
siding.  They  had  barely  reached  the  limits  of 
the  town  when  Griscom  put  on  a  little  more 
speed. 

'Whoop!"  yelled  Van  suddenly. 

Ralph  had  shifted  his  seat  on  account  of  some 
undermining  of  the  coal  supply,  and  at  just  that 
moment  for  the  first  time  was  away  from  the  side 
of  his  fellow  passenger. 


216  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Before  he  could  clamber  over  the  coal  heap  Van 
had  arisen  to  his  feet. 

"  Stop,  Van!  "  shouted  Ralph. 

But  Van's  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  little  winding 
country  road  lining  the  railway  fence  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  embankment. 

An  antiquated  gig,  well  loaded  and  attached  to 
a  sorry  looking  nag,  and  driven  by  a  man  well 
muffled  up  in  a  dilapidated  linen  duster,  was 
plodding  along  the  dusty  thoroughfare. 

Upon  this  outfit  Van's  eyes  appeared  to  be  set. 
His  hand  waved  nervously,  and  he  seemed  to  for- 
get where  he  was,  and  was  not  conscious  of  what 
he  was  doing. 

He  was  in  the  act  of  stepping  off  into  nothing- 
ness, and  in  a  quiver  of  dread  Ralph  yelled  to  the 
engineer : 

"  Mr.  Griscom,  stop!  stop!  " 

But  the  engineer's  hearing  was  occupied  with 
the  hiss  of  steam  directly  around  him,  and  his 
attention  riveted  on  signals  ahead. 

Ralph  made  a  spring.  Some  lumps  of  coal 
slipped  under  his  hasty  footing.  His  hand  just 
grazed  a  disappearing  foot. 

The  train  was  going  about  fifteen  miles  an 
hour,  and  Van  had  recklessly  taken  a  header 
down  the  embankment. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

RECALLED     TO     LIFE 

Van  landed  half-way  down  the  incline.  His 
feet  sank  deep  into  the  sandy  soil,  the  shock  threw 
him  forward  with  dangerous  velocity,  and  he 
went  head  over  heels,  slid  ten  feet  like  a  rocket, 
and  reached  the  bottom  of  the  embankment. 

His  head  landed  squarely  against  the  lower 
board  of  the  fence.  Rip !  crack !  splinter !  The 
contact  burst  the  board  into  kindling  wood.  Van 
drove  through  and  about  five  feet  beyond,  and  lay 
still  and  inert  in  the  bed  of  the  dusty  country 
road. 

Ralph  believed  he  was  killed.  With  a  groan 
he  leaped  to  the  side  of  Griscom  and  grabbed  his 
arm.  The  engineer's  lightning  eye  followed  his 
speechless  indication  of  Van,  and  he  pulled  the 
machinery  to  a  speedy  halt  that  jarred  every  bolt 
and  pinion. 

Ralph  was  trembling  with  dread  and  emotion. 
He  ran  back  along  the  track  fifty  feet,  and  breath- 
lessly rushed  down  the  incline  at  the  point  where 
Van  had  descended. 

217 


218  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

As  he  gained  the  bottom  of  the  embankment 
his  heart  gave  a  great  jump  of  joy.  He  saw  Van 
move,  struggle  to  a  sitting  posture,  rub  his  head 
bewildereclly  with  one  hand,  and  stare  about  him 
as  if  collecting  his  scattered  senses. 

"Are  you  hurt?"  involuntarily  exclaimed 
Ralph. 

"Not  much Hello!     Who  are  you?'' 

Ralph  experienced  the  queerest  feeling  of  his 
life.  He  could  not  analyze  it  just  then.  There 
was  an  indescribable  change  in  Van  that  some- 
how thrilled  him.  For  the  first  time  since  Ralph 
had  found  him  in  the  old  factory  he  spoke  words 
connectedly  and  coherently. 

A  great  wave  of  gladness  surged  over  Ralph's 
soul.  He  was  a  quick  thinker.  The  presenta- 
tion of  the  moment  was  clear.  The  young  doctor 
at  Stanley  Junction  had  said  that  just  as  a  shock 
had  deprived  Van  of  reason,  so  a  second  shock 
might  restore  it.  Well,  the  second  shock  had 
come,  it  seemed,  and  there  was  Van,  a  new  look 
in  his  eyes,  a  new  expression  on  his  face.  Ralph 
remembered  to  have  read  of  just  such  extraordi- 
nary happenings  as  the  present.  He  had  but  one 
glad,  glorious  thought — Van  had  been  recalled  to 
life  and  reason,  and  that  meant  eveiything! 

Toot !  toot !  Ralph  glanced  at  the  locomotive 
where  Griscom  was  impatiently  waving  his  hand. 


RECALLED    TO    LIFE  219 

The  Great  Northern  could  not  check  its  schedule 
to  suit  the  convenience  of  two  dead-head  pas- 
sengers. 

"  Quick,  Van,"  said  Ralph,  seizing-  the  arm  of 
his  companion — "  hurry,  we  shall  be  left." 

''Left — how?  where?"  inquired  Van,  resist- 
ing, and  with  a  vague  stare. 

"  To  the  locomotive.  We  must  get  back,  you 
know.     They  won't  wait." 

"  What  have  I  got  to  do  with  the  locomotive  ?  " 

"  You  just  jumped  from  it." 

"Who  did?" 

"  You." 

"You're  dreaming!"  pronounced  Van. 
"  What  you  giving-  me — or  I've  been  dreaming," 
he  muttered,  passing  his  hand  over  his  fore- 
head again. 

Ralph  suddenly  realized  that  Van  regarded  him 
as  an  entire  stranger,  that  time  and  explanation 
alone  could  restore  a  friendly,  comprehensive 
basis. 

He  gave  Griscom  the  go  ahead  signal.  The 
engineer  looked  puzzled,  but  there  was  no  time  to 
waste,  for  the  tracks  were  now  signaled  clear 
ahead.  He  put  on  steam  and  the  train  moved  on 
its  way,  leaving  Ralph  and  Van  behind. 

The  boy  paid  no  further  attention  to  locomo- 
tive or   Ralph.     He  struggled  to  his   feet,   and 


220  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

looked  up  the  country  road,  then  down  it.  The 
gig  had  disappeared,  but  a  cloud  of  dust  lingered 
in  the  air  over  where  it  had  just  turned  a  bend. 

Van  started  forward  in  this  direction.  There 
was  a  pained,  confused  expression  on  his  face,  as 
if  he  could  not  quite  get  the  right  of  things. 
Ralph  came  up  to  him  and  detained  his  steps  by 
placing  a  hand  on  his  arm. 

The  way  Van  shook  off  his  grasp  showed  that 
he  had  lost  none  of  his  natural  strength. 

"  What  you  want?  "  he  asked  suspiciously. 

"  Don't  you  know  me?  " 

"Me?  you?     No." 

"  Hold  on,"  persisted  Ralph,  "  don't  go  yet. 
You  are  Van." 

"  That's  my  name,  yes." 

"  And  I  am  Ralph — don't  you  remember  ?  " 

"  I  don't." 

"  Ralph  Fairbanks." 

Van  gave  a  start.  He  squarely  faced  his  com- 
panion now.  His  blinking  eyes  told  that  the 
machinery  of  his  brain  was  actively  at  work. 

"Fairbanks — Fairbanks?"  he  repeated.  "Aha! 
yes — letter!  " 

His  hand  shot  into  an  inside  coat  pocket.  He 
withdrew  it  disappointedly.  Then  his  glance 
chancing  to  observe  for  the  first  time,  it  seemed, 
the  suit  he  wore,  apparel  that  belonged  to  Ralph, 


RECALLED    TO   LIFE  221 

he  stood  in  a  painful  maze,  unable  to  figure  out 
how  he  had  come  by  it  and  what  it  meant. 

"  You  are  looking  for  a  letter,"  guessed  Ralph. 

"  Yes,  I  was — '  John  Fairbanks,  Stanley  Junc- 
tion.'    How  do  you  know?  "  with  a  stare. 

"  Because  I  am  Ralph  Fairbanks,  his  son. 
When  you  first  showed  it  to  me " 

"  Showed  it  to  you  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"Where? 

"  At  Stanley  Junction." 

"  I  never  was  there." 

"  I  think  you  were." 

"When?" 

"  About  three  weeks  ago.  And  you  just  left 
there  this  morning.  You  was  with  me  on  that 
locomotive  that  just  went  ahead,  jumped  off,  and 
— you  had  better  sit  down  and  let  me  explain 
things." 

Van  looked  distressed.  He  was  in  reposses- 
sion of  all  his  faculties,  there  was  no  doubt  of  that, 
but  there  was  a  blank  in  his  life  he  could  never 
fill  out  of  his  own  volition.  He  studied  Ralph 
keenly  for  a  minute  or  two,  sighed  desperately, 
sat  down  on  a  bowlder  by  the  side  of  the  road, 
and  said : 

"  Something's  wrong,  I  can  guess  that.  I  had 
a  letter  to  deliver,  and  it  seems  as  if  it  was  only  a 


222  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

minute  ago  that  I  had  it  with  me.  Now  it's  gone, 
I  find  myself  here  without  knowing  how  I  came 
here,  with  you  who  are  a  stranger  telling  me 
strange  things,  and — I  give  it  up.  It's  a  riddle. 
"What's  the  answer?  " 

Ralph  had  a  task  before  him.  In  his  judgment 
it  was  best  not  to  crowd  things  too  speedily,  all  of 
a  jumble. 

"  You  came  to  Stanley  Junction  with  a  letter 
about  three  weeks  ago,"  he  said.  "It  seemed  you 
had  dead-headed  it  there  on  the  trucks  from  some 
point  down  the  line." 

Van  nodded  as  if  he  dimly  recalled  all  this. 

*  You  hid  in  an  old  factory,  or  went  there  to 
take  a  nap.  A  baseball  struck  your  head  acci- 
dentally. We  took  you  to  our  home,  you  have 
been  there  since." 

"  That's  queer,  I  can't  remember.  Yes — yes, 
I  do,  in  a  way,"  Van  corrected  himself  sharply. 
"  Was  there  a  chicken  house  there — oh,  such  a 
fine  chicken  house!"  he  exclaimed  expansively, 
"  with  fancy  towers  made  out  of  laths,  and  a 
dandy  wind  vane  on  it  ?  " 

"  You  built  that  chicken  house  yourself,"  ex- 
plained Ralph. 

"  Oh,  go  on!  "  said  Van  incredulously. 

"  Well,  you  did." 

"And    there    was    a    lady    there,    dressed    hi 


RECALLED    TO    LIFE  223 

black,"  muttered  Van,  his  glana  strained 
dreamily.  "  She  was  good  to  me.  She  r.sed  to 
sing"  sweet  songs — just  like  a  mother  would.  I 
never  had  a  mother,  to  remember." 

Van's  eyes  began  to  fill  with  tears.  Ralph  was 
touched  at  the  recognition  of  his  mother's  gentle- 
ness. Emotion  had  lightened  the  shadows  in 
Van's  mind  more  powerfully  than  suggestion  or 
memory. 

Ralph  felt  that  he  had  better  rouse  his  com- 
panion from  a  retrospective  mood. 

"  You're  all  right  now,"  he  said  briskly. 

"And  I  was  knocked  silly?"  observed  Van 
"  I  see  how  it  was.  I've  been  like  a  man  m  a 
long  sleep.     How  did  I  come  out  of  it,  though?  '" 

"  Just  as  you  went  into  it — with  a  shock.  J 
took  you  for  a  trip  on  a  locomotive.  Just  as  we 
got  near  here  you  made  a  sudden  jump,  rolled 
down  the  embankment,  your  head  burst  through 
that  fence  board  yonder,  and  I  thought  you  were 
killed." 

Van  felt  over  his  head.  He  winced  at  a  sensi- 
tive touch  at  one  spot,  but  said,  with  a  light 
laugh : 

"  I've  got  a  cast-iron  skull,  I  guess !  But  what 
made  me  jump  from  the  locomotive?  Did  I  have 
daffy  fits?" 

"  Oh,  not  at  all." 


224  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"Well,  then?" 

"  Why,"  said  Ralph,  "  I  think  the  sight  of  a 
man  in  a  long  linen  duster,  driving-  a  one-horse 
gig  down  this  road  startled  you  or  attracted  your 
attention,  or  something  of  that  sort." 

"Ginger!"  interrupted  Van,  jumping  to  hk 
feet,  "I  remember  now!  It  was — him!  And 
I've  got  to  see  him.  He  went  that  way.  I'm 
off."  ' 

"  Hold  on !  hold  on !  "  called  the  dismayed 
Ralph. 

But  Van  heard  not,  or  heeded  not.  He  sprinted 
for  the  bend  in  the  road,  Ralph  hotly  at  his  heels. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

MYSTERY 

Ralph  outran  his  competitor,  then  kept  easy 
pace  with  him,  and  did  not  try  to  stop  him.  He 
recognized  a  certain  obstinacy  and  impetuousness 
in  Van  that  he  felt  he  must  deal  with  in  a  politic 
manner. 

He  noticed,  too,  that  Van  was  not  in  normal 
physical  trim.  The  roll  down  the  embankment 
had  wrenched  one  foot  slightly,  and  when  they 
came  to  the  bend  to  discover  no  gig  'm  sight,  and 
a  series  of  other  bends  ahead,  Van  halted,  breath- 
less and  tired. 

"  Give  it  up !  "  he  panted,  sinking-  to  a  dead 
tree.  "  Oh  ,  well !  I  can  catch  him  up  later. 
Twenty-miles  tramp,  though." 

"  You  seem  to  know  who  the  man  in  the  linen 
duster  is?"  ventured  Ralph. 

"  Oh,  yes." 

"  Is  it  important  that  you  should  see  him?  " 

"  Well,  I  guess  so !  " 

Van  was  close-mouthed  after  that.  He  lay 
back  somewhat  wearily  on  the  log  and  closed  his 
225 


226  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

eyes.  The  reaction  from  his  tumble  was  succeed- 
ing the  false  energy  excitement  had  briefly  given 
him. 

"  See  here,"  said  Ralph,  "  I  sugg*est  that  you 
take  a  litt'e  snooze.  It  may  do  you  a  heap  of 
good." 

"  Wish  that  lady  was  here  to  sing  one  of  her 
sweet  songs!  "  murmured  Van.  "  I  just  feel  col- 
lapsed." 

"  If  you  will  stay  here  quietly  for  a  few  min- 
utes," suggested  Ralph,  "  I  will  go  to  that  house 
over  yonder  and  get  some  water  and  a  bite  to  eat. 
That  will  make  you  feel  better.  We  had  a  lunch, 
but  it  was  left  behind  on  the  locomotive." 

"  All  right,"  said  Van  sleepily. 

He  seemed  instantly  to  sink  into  slumber. 
Ralph  waited  a  few  moments,  then  he  went  over 
to  a  house  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  all  the 
time  keeping  an  eye  directed  towards  the  spot 
where  he  had  left  his  companion. 

A  woman  stood  in  its  open  doorway.  She  had 
witnessed  the  jump  from  the  locomotive,  and  re- 
ferred to  it  at  once. 

"  Where's  the  boy  who  was  with  you?"  she 
inquired. 

Ralph  pointed  to  the  spot  where  he  had  left 
Van. 

"  Was  he  hurt  much  ?  " 


MYSTERY  227 

"  I  think  not  at  all  seriously.  He's  played  out, 
though,  and  I  have  advised  him  to  sleep  a  little." 

"  That's  right,"  nodded  the  woman.  "  Natur's 
the  panoseeds  for  all  sich.  That — and  hot  drops. 
You  just  take  him  a  little  phial  of  our  vegetable 
hot  drops.     They'll  fix  him  up  like  magic." 

"  Why,  thank  )'ou,  madam,  I  will,  if  you  can 
spare  them,"  said  Ralph.  "  I  was  also  going  to 
ask  you  to  put  me  up  a  bite  of  something  to  eat 
and  let  me  have  a  bottle  of  water." 

"  Surely  I  will,"  and  the  good-hearted  woman, 
pleased  with  Ralph's  engaging  politeness,  bustled 
off  and  soon  returned  with  a  paper  parcel,  a  two- 
quart  bottle  of  water  and  a  little  phial  filled  with  a 
dark  liquid. 

Ralph  insisted  on  leaving  her  twenty-five  cents, 
and  went  back  to  his  friend  with  a  parting  ad- 
monition "  to  be  sure  and  give  him  the  hot  drops 
soon  as  he  woke  up." 

Van  was  sleeping  profoundly,  and  Ralph  did 
not  disturb  him.  He  sat  watching  the  slumberer 
steadily.  Van  seemed  to  have  placid,  pleasant 
dreams,  for  he  often  smiled  in  his  sleep,  and  once 
murmured  the  refrain  of  one  of  Mrs.  Fairbanks' 
favorite  songs. 

An  hour  later  Van  turned  over  and  sat  up 
quickly.  Ralph  had  been  somewhat  anxious,  for 
he  did  not  know  what  phase  his  companion's  con- 


228  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

dition  might  assume  at  this  new  stage  in  the  case. 
Van  came  upright,  however,  and  dispelled 
vague  fears — clear-eyed,  smiling,  bright  as  a 
dollar. 

"Hello !  "  he  hailed — "  locomotive,  friend,  em- 
bankment.    You're  Fairbanks?" 

"  That's  right,"  said  Ralph — "  you  remember 
me,  do  you?  " 

"  Sure,  I  do.  What's  in  the  bundle?  Grub? 
and  the  bottle?  Water?  Give  me  a  swig — I'm 
burned  up  with  thirst." 

"  This  first,"  said  Ralph,  producing  the  phial, 
and  explaining  its  predicted  potency.  "  Half  of 
it — now  some  water,  if  you  like." 

Van  choked  and  spluttered  over  the  hot  decoc- 
tion. Ralph  was  immensely  gratified  as  he  fol- 
lowed it  up  by  eating  a  good  meal  of  the  home- 
made pie,  biscuits  and  cheese  with  which  the  kind- 
hearted  woman  at  the  nearest  house  had  provided 
them. 

Van's  affliction  had  lifted  like  a  cloud  blown 
entirely  away  by  a  brisk,  invigorating  breeze. 

"  Rested  and  fed,"  he  declared,  with  a  sigh  of 
luxurious  contentment  and  satisfaction.  "  So  I 
was  crazy,  eh  ?  "  he  bluntly  propounded. 

"  Certainly  not." 

"Idiotic,  then?" 

"  Hardly,"  dissented  Ralph.    "  My  mother  has 


MYSTERY  229 

grown  to  think  almost  as  much  of  you  as  she  does 
of  me " 

"  Bless  her  clear  heart!  " 

"  You've  made  our  home  lot  look  like  the 
grounds  of  some  summer  villa,"  went  on  Ralph. 
"  That  don't  look  as  though  there  was  much  the 
matter  with  you,  does  it?  " 

"  But  there  was.  It's  all  over  now,  though. 
My  head  is  clear  as  a  bell.  I  remember  nearly 
everything.  Now  I  want  you  to  tell  me  the 
rest." 

Ralph  decided  it  was  the  time  to  do  so.  They 
would  certainly  be  at  cross-purposes  on  many 
perplexing  points,  until  his  companion  had  gained 
a  clear  comprehension  of  the  entire  situation. 

There  was  never  a  more  attentive  listener. 
Van's  eyes  fairly  devoured  the  narrator,  and 
when  the  graphic  recital  was  concluded,  his  won- 
derment, suspense,  surprise  and  anxiety  all  gave 
way  to  one  great  manifestation  of  gratitude  and 
delight,  as  he  warmly  grasped  Ralph's  hand. 

"  I  never  read,  heard  or  dreamed  of  such  treat- 
ment!" declared  the  warm-hearted  boy.  "You 
cared  for  me  like  a  prince !  " 

"  Seeing  that  I  had  so  effectually  put  you  out 
of  business,"  suggested  Ralph,  "  I  fancy  I  had 
some  responsibility  in  the  case." 

"  I  want  to  see  your  mother  again,"  said  Van. 


230  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

in  a  soft,  quivering  voice.  "  I  want  to  tell  her 
that  she's  woke  up  something  good  and  happy 
and  holy  in  me.  I  was  a  poor,  friendless,  home- 
less waif,  and  she  kept  me  in  a  kind  of  paradise." 

"  Well,  you  have  woke  up  to  more  practical 
realities  of  life,"  suggested  Ralph,  "  and  now 
what  are  you  going  to  do  next?  " 

But  Van  could  not  get  away  from  the  theme 
uppermost  in  his  mind. 

"  And  you  are  John  Fairbanks'  son?  "  he  con- 
tinued musingly.  "  And  1  landed  against  you 
first  crack  out  of  the  box !  That  was  queer, 
wasn't  it?  Some  people  would  call  it  fate, 
wouldn't  they?  It's  luck,  anyhow — for  you  sure, 
for  me  maybe.  The  letter  didn't  tell  you  any- 
thing, though.  Now  what  should  I  (Jo?  Say, 
Fairbanks,  let  me  think  a  little,  will  you?  " 

Ralph  nodded  a  ready  acquiescence,  and  Van 
sat  evidently  going  over  the  situation  in  his  mind. 
As  he  looked  up  in  an  undecided  way,  Ralph  said : 

"  I  don't  see  any  great  occasion  for  secrecy  or 
reflection.     You  were  sent  to  deliver  a  letter?  " 

"  Yes,  that's  so." 

'  To  my  father.  My  father  is  dead.  We 
open  the  letter,  as  we  have  a  right  to  do.  It  satis- 
fies us  that  the  writer  knows  considerable  that 
might  vitally  affect  our  interests.  Very  well,  it 
seems  to  me  that  your  duty  is  to  take  me,  the 


MYSTERY  231 

representative  of  John  Fairbanks,  straight  to  the 
person  who  wrote  that  letter." 

"Yes,"  said  Van,  "  that  looks  all  clear  and  nice 
enough  to  you,  but  I  don't  know  how  he  might 
take  it." 

"  You  mean  the  writer  of  the  letter?  " 

"Of  course." 

"  Whose  name  is  Farwell  Gibson." 

"  I  didn't  say  so,"  declared  Van  evasively. 

"  But  I  know  it,  don't  I  ?  Have  you  any  rea- 
son for  concealing  his  identity?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  have,"  declared  Van  flatly. 

"Why?" 

"  I  can't  tell  you  that.  See  here,  Fairbanks, 
you  guess  what  you  like,  but  until  I  have  reported 
the  result  of  my  mission  to — to  him,  I  have  no 
right  to  say  another  word." 

"All  right,"  assented  Ralph.  "It  will  all 
come  out  clear  in  the  end,  only  before  we  drop  the 
subject  I  would  like  to  make  another  guess." 

"  What  is  it?  "  challenged  Van. 

"  That  man  in  the  long  linen  duster  in  the  one- 
horse  gig  was  Farwell  Gibson." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

A    RIVAL    RAILROAD 

There  was  some  mystery  about  Farwell  Gib- 
son, Ralph  decided,  and  the  more  he  scanned  what 
he  knew  of  his  past,  his  peculiar  method  of  send- 
ing the  letter  to  his  father,  and  Van's  guarded 
manner,  the  more  he  was  satisfied  that  there  was  a 
puzzle  of  some  kind  to  solve. 

The  sun  was  going  down  and  night  was  com- 
ing on  apace.  Ralph  propounded  a  pertinent 
query. 

"  What  is  your  next  move,  Van?  " 

"  I  don't  mind  telling  you — to  get  after  that 
one-horse  gig." 

"  It's  home  by  this  time,  probably." 

"  I  intend  to  follow  it." 

"  I  think  I  had  better  go  with  you,  Van,"  sug- 
gested Ralph. 

"  Why  not?  You  don't  think  I  am  anxious  to 
shake  the  best  friend  I  ever  had,  do  you  ?  There's 
just  this,  though :  Mr.  Gibson  is  a  kind  of  a 
hermit." 

"And  does  not  like  strange  society?  I  see. 
232 


A   RIVAL   RAILROAD  233 

Well,  I  shall  not  intrude  upon  him  until  you  have 
paved  the  way.  Let  me  keep  with  you.  When 
you  get  near  his  home  go  on  ahead  and  report  just 
how  matters  stand.  If  he  cares  to  see  me,  I  shall 
be  glad.     If  he  don't,  there's  an  end  to  it." 

"  That's  satisfactory,"  assented  Van  heartily. 
"  I  guess  he  will  be  willing  to  see  you." 

"  I  hope  so,  Van." 

"  And  if  he  does,  I  know  you  will  be  glad  he 
did,"  declared  Van  convincedly. 

"  Do  you  intend  to  start  for  his  place  to- 
night? "  inquired  Ralph. 

"  I  think  we  might.  I  feel  fresh  as  a  lark,  and 
it's  a  beautiful  night.  If  we  get  tired  we  can  stop 
for  a  rest,  and  cover  the  journey  by  daybreak." 

"By  daybreak?"  repeated  Ralph.  "  Why, 
it's  an  easy  four  hours'  jaunt." 

"  Is  it?  "  smiled  Van.     "  I  guess  not." 

"  Only  twenty  miles?  " 

"  Yes,  but  such  twenty  miles !  Why,  it's  a 
jungle  half  the  distance." 

"  Isn't  there  a  road?" 

"  Not  a  sign  of  one.  The  gig  will  make  it  on 
the  cut-around,  and  that  means  a  good  forty 
miles." 

"  I  see.  Very  well,  Van,  I  am  at  your  orders," 
announced  Ralph. 

He  thought  it  best  to  secure  some  more  pro- 


234  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

visions.  They  went  into  the  village  this  time,  and 
at  a  little  store  secured  what  eatables  they  fancied 
they  might  need. 

The  first  mile  or  two  of  their  journey  was  very 
fine  traveling,  for  they  kept  for  that  distance  to 
the  regularly-traversed  road  the  gig"  had  taken. 

Then  Van,  who  seemed  to  know  his  bearings, 
directed  a  course  directly  into  the  timber. 

"  I  don't  see  any  particular  fault  to  be  found 
with  this,"  remarked  Ralph,  after  they  had  gone 
a  couple  of  miles. 

"  Oh,  this  is  easy,"  rejoined  Van.  "  You  see, 
the  Great  Northern  started  in  right  here  to  make 
a  survey  years  ago.  That's  why  there's  quite  a 
road  for  a  bit.  Wait  till  you  come  to  where  they 
threw  up  the  job.  I  say,  Fairbanks,  that's  where 
they  missed  it." 

"  Who?  what?  where?  " 

'  The  Great  Northern.  If  they  had  surveyed 
right  through  and  made  Dover  the  terminal,  they 
could  have  still  put  through  what  is  now  the  main 
line,  and  this  route  would  have  kept  the  Midland 
Central  out  of  the  field." 

"  You  seem  pretty  well-posted  on  railroad  tac- 
tics," said  Ralph. 

"  I  am — around  these  diggings.  I've  been  in 
the  railroad  line  for  two  years." 

"  You  a  railroader!  " 


A   RIVAL   RAILROAD  235 

"  I  call  myself  one." 

"  You  have  worked  on  a  railroad  ?  " 

"  Sure — for  two  years." 

"What  railroad?" 

Van  regarded  Ralph  quizzically. 

"Tell  you,  Fairbanks,"  he  said,  "that's 
straight,  although  the  railroad  hasn't  a  name  yet, 
hasn't  turned  a  wheel,  is  so  far  only  two  miles 
long,  and  that's  all  grading  and  no  rails." 

"  Well,  you  present  a  truly  remarkable  proposi- 
tion," observed  Ralph. 

"Isn't  it?  It's  a  reality,  all  the  same.  And 
it's  the  key  to  a  situation  worth  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands." 

"  You  mystify  me,"  acknowledged  Ralph, — 
"  allowing  you  are  in  earnest." 

"  Absolutely  in  earnest.  No  joshing".  I'm 
quite  interested,  too,  for  I'm  one  of  the  two  men 
who  have  built  the  railroad  so  far." 

"  Who  is  the  other?  " 

Van  shook  his  head. 

"  That's  a  secret,  for  the  present.  I  think 
you'll  know  soon,  though — soon  as  you  see  Mr. 
Gibson." 

Ralph  had  to  be  content  with  this.  He  com- 
prehended that  there  was  some  basis  to  Van's 
railroad  pretensions,  and  felt  very  curious  con- 
cerning the  same. 


RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

At  about  eleven  o'clock  that  night  Van's  pre- 
dictions as  to  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  progress 
were  fully  verified. 

They  were  apparently  in  the  midst  of  an  un~ 
trodden  forest.  The  brush  was  jungle-like,  the 
ground  one  continuous  sweep  of  hill  and  dale. 

It  took  one  breathless,  arduous  hour  to  cover  a 
mile,  and  their  clothes  and  hands  were  scratched 
and  torn  with  thorns  and  brambles. 

"  It's  a  little  better  beyond  the  creek,"  said  Van. 
"  A  man  could  hide  in  a  wilderness  like  this  a  good 
many  years  in  a  safe  way,  eh,  Fairbanks?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  answered  Ralph,  and  mentally 
wondered  if  his  companion  was  alluding  to  the 
mysterious  Farwell  Gibson. 

They  were  a  wearied  and  travel-worn  pair  as 
they  lay  down  to  rest  at  the  first  token  of  day- 
break. It  was  at  the  edge  of  a  level  expansive 
sweep  surmounted  by  a  dense  growth  of  trees. 

"  We're  nearly  there,"  proclaimed  Van. 

"  How  near?  "  interrogated  Ralph. 

"You  see  that  hill?" 

"  Yes." 

"  That's  our  last  climb." 

"  I'm  thankful,"  said  Ralph. 

They  tramped  up  the  slope  after  a  bit.  Once 
over  its  edge  Ralph,  looking  ahead,  made  out  a 
low  rambling  log  house.     It  was  about  half  a 


A   RIVAL  RAILROAD  237 

mile  away,  and  smoke  was  coming-  out  of  its 
chimney. 

"  Now  then,"  said  Van  with  a  smile,  "  I  reckon 
this  is  about  as  close  as  you  need  come,  for  the 
present — it's  a  great  deal  closer  than  many  others 
have  come." 

"  This  is  a  very  isolated  spot,"  said  Ralph. 

"  That's  Mr.  Gibson's  house  yonder,"  con- 
tinued Van.  "  I'll  go  on  alone,  see  him,  report, 
and  come  back  and  advise  you." 

"  That's  business,"  said  Ralph. 

"  Just  wander  around  and  amuse  yourself," 
recommended  Van.  "  You  may  find  something 
to  interest  you." 

Ralph  grew  tired  of  sitting  alone  and  waiting 
for  Van.  As  his  recent  companion  had  advised, 
he  took  a  stroll.  There  seemed  a  break  in  the 
timber  about  one  hundred  feet  to  the  left.  Ralph 
proceeded  in  that  direction.  He  paused  at  a  ten 
foot  avenue  cut  neat  and  clean  through  the  woods, 
and  stood  lost  in  contemplation. 

Far  as  he  could  see  across  the  hill  this  break 
in  the  timber  continued.  The  brush  had  been 
cleared  away,  the  ground  leveled  here  and  there, 
some  rudely  cut  ties  were  set  in  place,  and  the  lay- 
out showed  a  presentable  and  scientifically  laid 
put  and  graded  roadbed. 

"  I  wonder,"  said  Ralph  thoughtfully,  "  if  this 


238  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

is  a  part  of  Van's  boasted  railroad?  It  looks  all 
right  as  far  as  it's  gone." 

What  Ralph  scanned  represented  a  great  deal  of 
labor,  that  could  be  discerned  at  a  glance.  He 
knew  enough  about  survey  work  to  judge  that  a 
master  mind  had  directed  this  embryo  railroad 
project. 

Ralph  was  still  inspecting  the  work  when  a 
shrill  whistle  signaled  the  return  of  Van. 

"  It's  all  right,"  he  announced  as  he  came  up  to 
Ralph.  "  I've  told  Mr.  Gibson  everything.  He 
will  see  you." 

"  That's  good,"  said  Ralph. 

He  followed  Van  to  the  house  in  the  distance. 
As  he  neared  it  he  observed  that  a  man  stood  in 
the  doorway. 

This  individual  was  powerfully  built,  wore  a 
full  bushy  beard,  and  had  a  keen,  piercing  eye. 

He  scanned  Ralph  closely  as  he  approached,  and 
then,  standing  partly  aside,  with  a  not  ungraceful 
wave  of  his  hand  welcomed  Ralph  to  the  hospital- 
ity of  his  house. 

"You  are  Mr.  Gibson?"  said  Ralph,  feeling 
impelled  to  say  something. 

"  Yes,  young  man,  I  am  that  person,  and  this  is 
the  office  of  the  Dover  and  Springfield  Short  Line. 
Come  in." 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE    RIGHT    OF    WAY 

The  peculiar  announcement  of  Ralph's  host 
was  so  grandiloquent,  and  his  manner  so  lofty 
and  important,  that  the  young  railroader  smiled 
despite  himself. 

Certainly  Ralph  decided  the  Dover  &  Spring- 
field Short  Line  had  its  headquarters  in  a  partic- 
ularly isolated  place,  and  its  presentation  of  phys- 
ical resources  was  limited. 

"  I  never  heard  of  that  road  before,"  observed 
Ralph. 

"  Probably  not,"  answered  his  host — "  you  will 
hear  of  it,  though,  and  others,  in  the  near  future." 

Ralph  did  not  attach  much  importance  to  the 
prediction.  He  had  seen  at  a  glance  that  Gibson 
was  an  erratic  individual,  his  hermit  life  had 
probably  given  birth  to  some  visionary  ideas,  and 
his  railroad,  simmered  down  to  the  tangible,  had 
undoubtedly  little  real  foundation  outside  of  his 
own  fancies  and  dreams. 

Ralph  changed  his  mind  somewhat,  however,  as 
he  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  door,  for  he  stood 
239 


240  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

in  the  most  remarkable  apartment  he  had  ever 
entered. 

This  was  a  long,  low  room  with  a  living  space 
at  one  end,  but  the  balance  of  the  place  had  the 
unmistakable  characteristics  of  a  depot  and  rail- 
way office  combined. 

In  fact  it  was  the  most  "  railroady "  place 
Ralph  had  ever  seen.  Its  walls  were  rude  and 
rough,  its  furniture  primitive  and  even  grotesque, 
but  everything  harmonized  with  the  idea  that  this 
was  the  center  of  an  actual  railroad  system  in 
operation. 

There  were  benches  as  if  for  passengers.  In 
one  corner  with  a  grated  window  was  a  little  parti- 
tioned off  space  labeled  "  President's  Office." 
Hanging  from  a  strap  were  a  lot  of  blank  baggage 
checks,  on  the  walls  were  all  kinds  of  railroad  time- 
tables, and  painted  on  a  board  running  the  entire 
width  of  the  room  were  great  glaring  black  let- 
ters on  a  white  background,  comprising  the  an- 
nouncement :  "  Dover  &  Springfield  Short  Line 
Railroad." 

To  complete  the  presentment,  many  sheets  of 
heavy  manilla  paper  formed  one  entire  end  of  the 
room,  and  across  their  surface  was  traced  in  red 
and  black  paint  a  zigzag  railway  line. 

One  terminal  was  marked  "  Dover,"  the  other 
"  Springfield."     There  were  dots  for  minor  sta- 


THE   RIGHT   OF    WAY  241 

tions,  crosses  for  bridges  and  triangles  for  water 
tanks. 

Ralph  readily  comprehended  that  this  was  the 
plan  of  a  railroad  right-of-way  crossing  The  Bar- 
rens north  and  south  from  end  to  end,  and  the  big 
blue  square  in  the  center  was  intended  to  indicate 
the  headquarters  where  he  now  stood  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  actual  and  important  president  of  the 
Dover  &  Springfield  Short  Line  Railroad. 

Ralph  must  have  been  two  full  minutes  taking 
in  all  this,  and  when  he  had  concluded  his  inspec- 
tion he  turned  to  confront  Gibson,  whose  face 
showed  lively  satisfaction  over  the  fact  that  the 
layout  had  interested  and  visibly  impressed  his 
visitor. 

"  Well,"  he  challenged  in  a  pleased,  proud  way, 
"  how  does  it  strike  you?  " 

"  Why,"  said  Ralph,  "  to  tell  the  truth,  I  am 
somewhat  astonished." 

"  That  is  quite  natural,"  responded  Gibson. 
"  The  idea  of  the  world  in  general  of  a  railroad 
headquarters  is  plate  glass,  mahogany  desks  and 
pompous  heads  of  departments,  looking  wise  and 
spending  money.  The  Short  Line  has  no  capital, 
so  we  have  to  go  in  modest  at  the  start.  All  the 
same,  we  have  system,  ideas  and,  what  is  surer 
and  better  than  all  that  put  together,  we  have  the 
Right  of  Way." 


242  RALPH   01:    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  The  Right  of  Way?  "  repeated  Raloh,  taking 
in  the  announcement  at  its  full  importance. 

'  Yes,  that  means  what  ?  That  under  the 
strictest  legal  and  full  state  authority  we  have  a 
franchise,  empowering  us  to  construct  and  operate 
a  railway  from  Dover  to  Springfield,  and  vesting 
in.  us  the  sole  title  to  a  hundred-foot  strip  of  land 
clear  across  The  Barrens,  with  additional  depot 
and  terminal  sites. 

"  That  must  be  a  very  valuable  acquisition," 
said  Ralph. 

"  I  am  not  used  to  talking  my  business  to  out- 
siders," responded  Gibson,  "  and  you  are  one  of 
the  very  few  who  have  ever  been  allowed  to  enter 
this  place.  I  admit  you  for  strong  personal  rea- 
sons, and  I  want  to  explain  to  you  what  they  are." 

He  sat  down  on  one  of  the  benches  and  waved 
Ralph  to  the  one  opposite.  His  mobile  face 
worked,  as  silently  for  a  minute  or  two  he  seemed 
concentrating  his  ideas  and  choosing  his  words. 

"  I  am  a  strange  man,"  he  said  finally,  "  prob- 
ably a  crank,  and  certainly  not  a  very  good  man, 
as  my  record  goes,  but  circumstances  made  me 
what  I  am." 

A  twinge  of  bitterness  came  into  the  tones,  and 
his  eyes  hardened. 

"  The  beginning  of  my  life,"  proceeded  Gibson, 
"  was  honest  work  as  a  farmer — the  end  of  it  is 


THE   RIGHT   OF    WAY  243 

holding  on  with  bulldog  tenacity  to  all  there  is 
left  of  the  wreck  of  a  fortune.  That's  the  layout 
here.  The  Short  Line,  no  one  knows  it — no  one 
cares — just  yet.  But  no  one  can  ever  wrest  it 
from  me.  Ten  years  ago,  when  the  Great  North- 
ern was  projected,  your  father  saw  that  a  road 
across  here  was  a  tactical  move,  but  the  investors 
were  in  a  hurry  to  get  a  line  through  to  Spring- 
field, and  dropped  this  route.  Later  the  Mid- 
land Central  cut  into  Dover.  They  too  never 
guessed  what  a  big  point  they  might  have  made 
cutting  through  here  to  Springfield.  Well,  I  got 
possession  of  the  franchise.  I  had  to  bide  my  time 
and  stay  in  the  dark.  To-day,  with  the  Short 
Line  completed,  I  would  hold  the  key  to  the  traffic 
situation  of  two  States,  could  demand  my  own 
price  from  either  railroad  for  it.  and  they  would 
run  up  into  the  millions  outbidding  each  other, 
for  the  road  getting  the  Short  Line  completely 
dominates  all  transfer  passenger  and  freight  busi- 
ness north  and  south." 

"  Why,  I  see  that,"  said  Ralph,  roused  up  with 
keen  interest.  "  It  becomes  a  bee-line  route,  sav- 
ing twenty  or  thirty  miles'  distance,  and  opens  up 
a  new  territory." 

"  You've  struck  it.  Now  then,  what  I  want 
to  lead  up  to  is  Farrington — Gasper  Farrington. 
You  know  him  ?  " 


244  RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  Yes,  I  know  him,"  assented  Ralph  emphat- 
ically. 

"  Between  my  old  honest  life  and  the  dregs 
here  his  figure  looms  up  prominently,"  resumed 
Gibson.  "  Around  him  has  revolved  much  con- 
cerning your  father  and  myself  in  the  past 
Around  him  will  loom  up  considerable  concern- 
ing you  and  myself  in  the  future.  For  this  rea- 
son I  take  you  into  my  confidence — to  join  issues, 
to  grasp  the  situation  and  to  move  down  on  the 
enemy.  In  a  word :  Gasper  Farrington  ruined 
my  chances  in  life.  In  another,  he  robbed  your 
father." 

Ralph  was  becoming  intensely  interested. 

"  He  robbed  my  father,  you  say?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Are  you  sure  of  that,  Mr.  Gibson?  " 

"  I  am  positive  of  it.  I  have  the  proofs.  Even 
without  those  proofs,  my  unsupported  word 
would  substantiate  the  charge  The  more  so,  be- 
cause I  helped  him  do  it." 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

A    REMARKABLE    CONFESSION 

u  You  helped  Gasper  Farrington  rob  my 
father !  "  exclaimed  Ralph. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Gibson  unhesitatingly. 

Ralph  wondered  how  he  could  make  the  admis- 
sion thus  boldly  and  unblushingly.  Gibson,  how- 
ever, acted  like  a  man  who  had  taken  a  desperate 
stand  with  an  important  end  to  attain,  and  for  the 
time  being  at  least  had  set  aside  all  questions  of 
sentiment  and  conscience. 

"  It  will  be  brief,"  said  Gibson,  after  a  pause. 
"  When  the  Great  Northern  was  on  its  first  boom 
and  everybody  gone  wild  to  invest  in  its  bonds,  I 
caught  the  fever  too.  My  wife  had  died  and  I 
had  no  children,  and  converting  my  land  into  cash 
I  came  up  to  Stanley  Junction  with  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars  in  my  pocket.  I  was  always  stuck 
on  railroading.  I  fancied  myself  a  director,  rid- 
ing in  the  president's  car  and  distributing  free 
passes  to  my  friends.  In  a  black  moment  in  my 
life  I  ran  afoul  of  Gasper  Farrington.  He  took 
me  under  his  wing  and  encouraged  my  visionary 

245 


246  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

ideas.  At  that  time  your  father  had  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars  in  Great  Northern  bonds.  They  were 
not  all  paid  for,  but  nearly  so.  They  were,  in 
fact,  held  by  a  bank  as  trustee  in  what  is  known  as 
escrow — that  is,  subject  to  his  call  on  payment  of 
the  small  sum  still  due  on  them.  Your  father  had 
great  confidence  in  Farrington.  So  had  I.  I  put 
my  capital  in  his  hands." 

Gibson  became  so  wrought  up  in  his  recital  that 
he  could  not  sit  still.  He  got  up  and  paced  the 
floor. 

"  If  we  had  kept  to  a  straight  investment,  your 
father  and  I,"  proceeded  Gibson,  "  we  would  have 
been  all  right.  But  Farrington  dazzled  us  with 
his  stock-jobbing  schemes.  He  actually  did  let  us 
into  a  deal  where  by  dabbling  in  what  is  called 
margins  we  increased  our  pile  considerably.  In 
about  a  month,  however,  he  had  us  where  he 
wanted  us.  That  is,  he  had  our  affairs  so  mixed 
up  and  complicated  that  neither  of  us  knew  just 
where  we  stood,  and  didn't  dare  to  make  a  move 
without  his  advice.  For  some  time  we  had  all 
been  dabbling  in  Midland  Central  securities.  One 
day,  after  he  had  got  me  to  buy  a  big  block  of  that 
stock,  the  market  broke.     I  was  a  pauper/' 

"  Had  Mr.  Farrington  lost  too?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"  He  pretended  that  he  had,  but  later  I  found 


A    REMARKABLE   CONFESSION  247 

that  he  was  the  very  person  who  was  manipulating 
the  stocks  on  the  sly,  and  trimming  us.  We  had  a 
bitter  quarrel.  Then  he  said  all  was  fair  in  war 
and  business.  I  was  desperate,  lad,  about  my 
money,  and  when  he  set  up  a  plan  to  get  hold  of 
your  father's  bonds,  I  went  into  it.  I  am  sorry 
now.  I  was  crazy  those  days,  I  guess,  money- 
mad!" 

The  man's  candor  vouched  for  his  sincerity,  but 
Ralph  looked  sad  and  disturbed. 

"  Anyway,  he  got  your  father  in  a  tight  corner, 
and  I  helped  him  do  it.  It  was  a  complicated 
deal.  I  can't  say  that  Farrington  stole  those 
bonds  outright,  but  in  a  roundabout  way  they 
finally  came  into  his  possession.  If  the  transac- 
tion was  ever  ripped  up,  I  don't  believe  it  would 
stand  in  law.  But  I  don't  know  that  positively. 
Your  father  lost  his  bonds,  and  I  got  nothing  out 
of  the  transaction.  But  there  is  something  else 
that  I  want  to  get  at.  A  little  later,  never  doubt- 
ing Farrington's  honesty,  your  father  gave  him  a 
mortgage  on  his  homestead.  It  was  done  to  pro- 
tect your  mother — that  is,  feeling  himself  getting 
involved,  your  father  wished  to  be  sure  that  she 
had  at  least  a  shelter  over  her  head.  There  was 
no  consideration  whatever  in  the  deal.  It  was 
merely  put  temporarily  in  the  shape  of  a  mort- 
gage until  affairs  had  cleared  somewhat,  when  it 


248  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

was  to  be  deeded  to  a  third  party,  and  then  direct 
to  your  mother." 

"  Then  Mr.  Farrington  never  had  a  right  to 
collect  that  interest  money,"  said  Ralph. 

"  He  wasn't  entitled  to  a  cent  of  it.  Farring- 
ton  then  got  me  into  another  deal.  I  had  bor- 
rowed one  thousand  dollars  from  my  brother. 
He  got  me  to  take  security  for  it,  as  he  called  it. 
In  some  way  he  had  got  hold  of  the  old  Short 
Line  charter  here.  At  that  time  it  was  treated  as 
a  joke,  and  considered  worthless.  I  didn't  know 
it.  He  got  my  thousand  dollars,  claimed  to  lose 
it  in  a  deal,  and  I  was  flat  broke." 

"  And  later?  "  suggested  Ralph,  recalling  in  an 
instant  what  he  had  heard  from  Big  Denny  about 
Gibson. 

"  Well,  I  got  hard  pressed.  I  saw  a  chance  to 
get  even  with  him.  We  were  in  a  deal  together. 
I  canceled  it  to  get  a  few  hundred  dollars,  and 
signed  our  joint  names  as  a  firm.  Later  I  learned 
that  I  had  a  right  only  to  sign  my  own  name.  I 
went  to  his  house.  He  threatened  to  have  me  ar- 
rested for  forgery  the  next  day,  showed  me  the 
forged  paper,  as  he  called  it,  and  a  warrant  he 
had  sworn  out.  We  had  a  fearful  row.  I  beai 
him  up  good  and  proper,  smashed  some  windows, 
and,  disgusted  with  life  and  mankind,  fled  to  this 
wilderness." 


A   REMARKABLE   CONFESSION  249 

It  was  a  vivid  recital,  running  like  some 
romance.     Gibson  took  breath,  and  concluded : 

"  A  man  can't  sit  forever  eating  out  his  heart 
in  loneliness.  I  knew  that  Farrington  would  not 
hesitate  to  send  me  to  jail.  I  located  here.  One 
day,  yonder  faithful  fellow,  Van  Sherwin,  came 
along.  He  was  an  orphan  outcast,  I  took  him  in. 
His  company  gave  a  new  spur  to  existence.  I  got 
casting  up  accounts.  I  rarely  ventured  to  the 
towns,  but  I  sent  him  to  a  relative,  who  loaned  me 
a  few  hundred  dollars.  I  investigated  the  Short 
Line  business,  even  paid  a  lawyer  to  look  it  up. 
I  found  I  had  something  tangible,  and  that  for  a 
certain  date,  then  two  months  ahead,  provided 
I  did  some  work  each  day  except  Sunday  thence- 
forward on  the  right  of  way,  I  could  hold  the 
franchise  indefinitely,  unimpaired.  Since  then, 
Van  and  I  have  been  at  the  grading  work,  as  you 
see." 

"And  why  did  you  write  to  my  father?"  in- 
quired Ralph. 

"  My  hard,  bad  nature  has  changed  since  Van 
came  here  to  cheer  me  with  his  loyal  companion- 
ship," said  Gibson.  "  I  always  felt  I  had  wronged 
your  father.  I  wrote  to  him,  thinking  him  still 
alive,  to  come  and  see  me.  Instead,  you  come 
as  his  representative.  Very  well,  this  is  what  I 
want  to  say :  I  am  willing  to  make  the  statements 


250  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

in  writing  that  I  have  given  to  you  verbally. 
That,  you  may  say,  is  of  no  practical  benefit  to 
you.  But  here  is  something  that  is:  My  sworn 
statement  that  the  mortgage  was  in  reality  a  trust 
will  cancel  everything.  That  means  something 
for  you,  doesn't  it?  " 

"  It  means  a  great  deal — yes,  indeed,"  assented 
Ralph. 

"  Very  well,''  said  Gibson.  "  You  go  and  use 
the  information  I  have  given  you,  the  threat  to 
expose  Farrington,  to  get  him  to  destroy  that 
forged  note  he  holds  against  me,  so  that  I  can 
come  out  into  the  daylight  a  free  man  to  put  my 
railroad  project  on  foot,  and  I  will  give  to  you  a 
sworn  statement  that  in  any  court  of  law  will  com- 
pel him  to  surrender  to  your  mother,  free  and 
clear,  your  home.  And  I  won't  say  right  now 
what  I  will  be  glad  to  do  for  the  widow  and  son 
of  John  Fairbanks,  when  the  Short  Line  is  an 
assured  fact  and  a  success." 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

FOUND 

It  did  not  take  Ralph  long  to  figure  out  the 
merits  and  prospects  of  the  proposition  that  Far- 
well  Gibson  had  made  to  him. 

As  the  latter  went  more  into  details  concern- 
ing his  own  and  Mr.  Fairbanks'  dealings  with 
Gasper  Farrington,  Ralph  felt  a  certain  pity  for 
the  hermit.  He  had  been  the  weak,  half-crazed 
tool  of  a  wicked,  cool  headed  plotter,  had  re- 
pented his  share  of  the  evil  doings,  and  was  bent 
on  making  what  restitution  he  might. 

The  peculiar  situation  of  affairs,  Ralph's  quick- 
witted comprehension  of  things,  above  all  his 
kindness  to  Van  Sherwin,  had  completely  won 
Gibson's  confidence. 

They  had  many  little  talks  together  after  that. 
They  compared  notes,  suggested  mutually  plans 
for  carrying  out  their  campaign  against  the  Stan- 
ley Junction  magnate,  legally  and  above  board, 
but  guarding  their  own  interests  warily,  for  they 
knew  they  had  a  wily,  unscrupulous  foe  with 
whom  to  contend. 

251 


252  RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

Gibson  insisted  that  they  could  do  nothing  but 
rest  that  day  and  the  next,  and  when  the  third 
day  drifted  along-  he  took  Ralph  for  an  inspection 
of  his  enterprise. 

There  was  not  the  least  doubt  but  that  Gibson 
had  a  valuable  proposition  and  that  he  had  legally 
maintained  his  rights  in  the  premises. 

"  Every  day  except  Sunday  within  the  pre- 
scribed period  of  the  charter,  I  have  done  work 
on  the  road  as  required  by  law,"  he  announced  to 
Ralph.  "  Van's  affidavit  will  sustain  me  in  that. 
Everything  is  in  shape  to  present  the  scheme  to 
those  likely  to  become  interested.  It  will  be 
no  crooked  stock  deal  this  time,  though,"  he  de* 
clared,  with  vehemence.  "  It's  a  dead-open-and- 
shut  arrangement,  with  me  as  sole  owner — it's  a 
lump  sum  of  money,  or  the  permanent  control  of 
the  road." 

Van's  eyes  sparkled  at  this,  and  Ralph  looked  as 
if  he  would  consider  it  a  pretty  fine  thing  to  come 
in  with  the  new  line  under  friendly  advantages, 
and  work  up,  as  he  certainly  could  work  up  with 
Gibson  so  completely  disposed  to  do  all  he  could 
to  forward  his  interests. 

Next  morning  Ralph  said  he  had  other  busi-1 
ness  to  attend  to.  It  was  to  go  to  Dover  in 
pursuance  with  his  instructions  from  Matthew- 
son,  the  road  detective  of  the  Great  Northern. 


FOUND  25S 

It  was  arranged  that  Van  should  drive  him 
over  in  the  gig.  If  Ralph  made  any  important 
discoveries  that  required  active  attention,  he  was 
to  remain  on  the  scene.  If  not,  he  promised  to 
return  to  "  headquarters  "  on  his  way  back  to 
Stanley  Junction. 

Ralph  reached  Dover  about  noon,  and  put  in 
four  hours'  time.  He  located  Jacobs,  the  man  to 
whom  the  stolen  fittings  were  to  have  gone,  he 
saw  the  local  police,  and  he  gathered  up  quite  a 
few  facts  of  possible  interest  to  Matthewson,  but 
none  indicating  the  present  whereabouts  of  Ike 
Slump,  his  tramp  friend,  or  the  load  of  plunder. 

"Did  you  find  out  much?"  Van  inquired,  as 
they  started  homewards  about  five  o'clock. 

"  Nothing  to  waste  time  over  here,"  replied 
Ralph.  "  I  imagine  the  Great  Northern  has  seen 
the  last  of  its  two  thousand  dollars'  worth  of 
brass  fittings,  and  Stanley  Junction  of  Ike  Slump, 
for  a  time  at  least." 

The  Gibson  habitation  was  more  accessible 
from  this  end  of  The  Barrens  than  from  the  point 
at  which  Ralph  and  Van  had  four  days  previously 
entered  it. 

There  was  a  road  for  some  ten  miles,  and  then 
one  along  a  winding  creek  for  half  that  distance. 
Beyond  that  lay  the  jungle. 

The  sun  was  just  going  down  when  they  forded 


254  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

the  creek.  The  spot  was  indescribably  wild  and 
lonely.  Its  picturesque  beauty,  too,  interested  the 
boys,  and  they  were  not  averse  to  a  halt  in  mid- 
stream, the  horse  luxuriating-  in  a  partial  bath 
and  enjoying  a  cool,  refreshing  drink. 

Suddenly  Ralph,  who  had  been  taking-  in  all 
the  lovely  view  about  them,  put  a  quick  hand  on 
Van's  arm. 

"  Right  away!  "  he  said,  with  strange  incision 
■ — "  get  ashore  and  in  the  shelter  of  the  brush." 

"Eh!  what's  wrong-?"  interrogated  Van,  but 
obediently  urged  up  the  horse,  got  to  the  opposite 
bank,  and  halted  where  the  shrubbery  interposed 
a  dense  screen. 

"  Now — what?  "  he  demanded. 

Ralph  made  a  silencing  gesture  with  his  hand. 
He  dropped  from  his  seat,  went  back  to  the  edge 
of  the  greenery,  and  peered  keenly  down  stream. 

He  seemed  to  be  watching  somebody  or  some- 
thing, and  was  so  long  at  it  that  Van  got  im- 
patient, and  leaping  from  the  wagon  approached 
his  side. 

"  What's  up?  "  he  asked. 

Ralph  did  not  reply.  Van  peered  past  him. 
Down  stream  about  five  hundred  feet  a  human 
figure  stood,  faced  away  from  the  ford,  bent  at 
work  over  some  kind  of  a  frame  structure  partly 
in  the  water. 


FOUND  255 

"  You  seem  mightily  interested !  "  observed 
Van. 

"  I  am,"  answered  Ralph,  and  his  tone  was 
quite  intense.  "  I  expect  to  be  still  more  so  when 
that  fellow  faces  about." 

"If  he  ever  does.  There — he  has!"  spoke 
Van. 

Ralph  drew  back  from  his  point  of  observation, 
took  a  quick  breath,  and  was  palpably  excited. 

"  I  was  right,"  he  said,  half  to  himself. 
"  There's  work  here." 

"  Say,"  spoke  Van,  impatiently  and  curiously, 
"  you're  keeping  me  on  nettles.  What  are  you 
talking  about,  anyway?  " 

"  That  fellow  yonder.  Do  you  know  who  he 
*s?" 

"  Of  course  I  don't." 

"  I  do—  it's  Ike  Slump." 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

IKE    SLUMP'S    RAFT 

"  You  don't  say  so!  "  exclaimed  Van. 

"  Yes,"  declared  Ralph — "  the  missing  Ike 
Slump  is  found.  I  would  know  him  anywhere, 
in  any  guise,  and  at  any  distance,  and  that  is  he 
yonder." 

"  You  don't  seem  to  have  luck  or  anything  in 
finding  opportunities — and  people!"  observed 
Van  dryly. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that." 

"  There's  the  boy  the  railroad  company  wants 
to  find,  isn't  it?  " 

"  Well,  Ike  Slump  alone,  a  vagabond  fugitive, 
isn't  so  much  what  they  are  after,"  explained 
Ralph.  "  They  want  to  recover  that  stolen  plun- 
der, and  from  the  general  appearance  of  Slump  I 
don't  imagine  he  has  much  of  anything  visible 
about  him  except  what  he  probably  calls  '  hard 
luck.'  " 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do?  " 

"  Have  a  talk  with  him  first,  if  I  can." 

Ralph  reflected  for  a  few  moments.  Then  he 
256 


IKE   SLUMP'S   RAFT  257 

decided  on  a  course  of  action.  He  suggested 
that  Van  remain  where  he  was.  Lining  the  shore 
himself,  Ralph  kept  well  in  the  shelter  of  the 
shrubbery  until  he  was  directly  opposite  the  spot 
where  the  object  of  his  interest  was  at  work. 

He  could  not  secure  more  than  a  general  idea 
of  what  Ike  was  about  unless  he  exposed  himself 
to  view.  Ike  seemed  to  be  framing  together  a 
raft.  He  was  very  intent  on  his  task — so  much 
so,  that  when  Ralph  finally  decided  to  show  him- 
self he  was  not  aware  of  a  visitor  until  Ralph 
stood  directly  at  his  side. 

"How  do  you  do,  Slump?"  spoke  Ralph,  as 
carelessly  as  though  meeting  him  on  the  streets 
of  Stanley  Junction  in  an  everyday  recognition. 

"  Hi !  who — smithereens !     Stand  back !  " 

Ike  let  out  a  whoop  of  amazement.  He  jumped 
back  two  feet.  Then  he  stared  at  his  visitor  in 
a  strained  attitude,  too  overcome  to  speak  co- 
herently. 

"  Ralph  Fairbanks !  "  he  spluttered. 

Ralph  nodded  pleasantly. 

Ike  grew  more  collected.  He  presented  a 
wretched  appearance.  He  was  thin,  hungry- 
looking,  sullen  of  manner,  and  evidently  dejected 
of  spirit. 

A  sudden  suspicion  lit  up  his  face  as  he  glanced 
furtively  into  the  shrubbery  beyond  his  visitor, 


258  RALPH    Of    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

as  though  fearing  other  intruders.  Then  with 
his  old  time  tricky  nimbleness  he  described  a  kind 
of  a  sliding  slip,  and  seized  a  short  iron  bar  lying 
on  the  ground. 

"  What  do  you  want?"  he  demanded,  with  a 
scowl. 

"  I  want  to  have  a  talk  with  you,  Ike." 

•'What  about?" 

"  Your  mother." 

Ralph  had  heard  back  at  Stanley  Junction  that 
Ike's  mother  had  mourned  her  son's  evil  course 
as  a  judgment  sent  upon  them  because  her  hus- 
band sold  liquor.  He  felt  sorry  for  her,  as  Ike 
now  shrugged  his  shoulders  impatiently,  and  not 
a  gleam  of  home-longing  or  affection  followed  the 
allusion  to  his  mother. 

"  Did  you  come  specially  for  that?  "  demanded 
Ike.  "  Because  if  you  did,  how  did  you  know  I 
was  here?  " 

"  I  didn't— this  meeting  is  purely  accidental." 

"Oh!"  muttered  Ike  incredulously. 

"  I'll  be  plain,  Slump,"  said  Ralph,  "  for  I  see 
you  don't  welcome  my  company  or  my  mission. 
Your  father  is  worried  to  death  about  you.  your 
mother  is  slowly  pining  away.  If  you  have  any 
manhood  at  all,  you  will  go  home." 

''What  for?"  flared  out  Ike,  savagely  swing- 
ing the  iron  rod-—"  to  get  walloped!     Worse,  to 


IKE   SLUMP'S   RAFT  259 

get  jugged!  You  played  me  a  fine  trick  spying 
into  Cohen's  and  getting  the  gang  in  a  box.  I 
ought  to  just  kill  you,  I  ought !  " 

"  Well,  hear  what  I  have  to  say  before  you 
begin  your  slaughter,"  said  Ralph  quietly.  "  Out 
of  sympathy  for  your  mother,  and  because  your 
father  has  friends  among  the  railroad  men,  I 
think  the  disposition  of  the  railroad  company  is 
to  treat  you  with  leniency  in  the  matter  of  the 
stolen  junk,  if  you  show  you  are  ready  to  do  the 
square  thing." 

"  They  can't  prove  a  thing  against  me ! " 
shouted  Ike  wrathfully.  "  Think  I  don't  know 
how  affairs  stand?  They  can't  do  anything  with 
Cohen,  either,  unless  some  one  peaches — and  no 
one  will." 

"  Don't  be  too  sure  of  that,"  advised  Ralph. 
"  The.v  can  lock  you  up,  and  if  they  delve  very 
deep,  can  convict  you  on  circumstantial  evidence. 
But  I  don't  want  to  discuss  that.  It's  plain  busi- 
ness, and  now  is  your  time  to  act.  Go  home, 
give  the  company  a  chance  to  get  back  it's  prop- 
erty, and  I'll  guarantee  they  will  deal  lightly  with 
you — this  time." 

"  Put  my  head  in  the  jaws  of  the  lion?"  de- 
rided Ike — "  not  much !  Say,  Ralph  Fairbanks, 
what  do  you  take  me  for  ?  And  what  do  I  know 
about  their  stolen  plunder?" 


260         RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  You  drove  off  from  Stanley  Junction  that 
night  with  it." 

"Prove  it!" 

"  You  and  your  tramp  friend.  I  was  at  Dover 
to-day.  Your  tramp  friend  sold  those  two 
horses  belonging-  to  Cohen  twenty  miles  further 
on,  I  learned." 

"  Drat  him !  "  snarled  Ike  viciously. 

"  You  wasn't  with  him.  Did  he  give  you  the 
slip,  and  leave  you  in  the  lurch?  It  looks  so.  I 
wouldn't  hold  the  bag  for  anybody,  if  I  were  you, 
Ike  Slump,"  rallied  Ralph. 

"  See  here,  Fairbanks,"  gritted  Ike  between  his 
set  teeth,  "  you  know  too  much,  you  do!  " 

"  Now  what,  in  the  meantime,  became  of  the 
stolen  brass  fittings?  You  know.  Tell.  Give 
the  company  a  square  deal,  and  take  another 
chance  to  drop  bad  company  and  behave  your- 
self." 

"  I  won't  go  home,"  declared  Ike,  with  knit, 
sullen  brows.  "  You  start  on  about  your  busi- 
ness, and  leave  me  to  mine." 

"  All  right,"  said  Ralph.  "  I'd  be  a  friend  to 
you  if  you  would  let  me.  By  the  way,  what  is 
your  business,  Slump?  Ah,  I  see — building  a 
raft?" 

"What  of  it?" 

"And  what  for?" 


IKE   SLUMP'S   RAFT  261 

"Say!"  cried  Ike,  brandishing  the  rod  furiously 
and  trying  to  intimidate  his  visitor  with  a  furious 
demonstration,  "what  do  you  torment  me  for! 
Get  out!  I'm  building  a  raft  because  I'm  a 
persecuted,  hunted  being,  driven  like  a  rat  into  a 
hole.  I  want  to  float  to  safety  past  the  towns,  and 
go  west.     And  I'm  going  to  do  it !  " 

"  Why  not  walk?  "  suggested  Ralph. 

Ike  flared  a  glance  of  dark  suspicion  at  Ralph. 

''And  why  such  a  big  raft?"  pursued  Ralph 
smoothly — "no,  you  don't!  Now  then,  since 
you've  forced  the  issue,  lie  still." 

Ike  had  suddenly  sprung  towards  Ralph, 
swinging  the  iron  rod.  The  latter  was  watching 
him,  however.  In  a  flash  he  had  the  bad  boy 
disarmed,  lying  flat  on  the  ground,  and  sat  astride 
of  him,  pinioning  his  arms  outspread  at  full 
length. 

Ralph  gave  a  sharp,  clear  whistle.  Van  came 
rushing  down  the  bank  in  the  distance  in  re- 
sponse. 

Ike  Slump  raved  like  a  madman.  He 
threatened,  he  pleaded.  He  even  took  refuge  in 
tears.  All  the  time,  Ralph  Fairbanks  was  mak- 
ing up  his  mind.  That  partially  built  raft  had 
roused  his  suspicions  very  keenly,  had  suggested 
a  new  line  of  action,  and  he  determined  to  follow 
put  the  promptings  of  his  judgment. 


262  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

"  There's  a  piece  of  rope  yonder,"  said  Ralph, 
as  Van  approached  on  a  run.  "  Get  it,  and  help 
me  tie  this  young-  man  hand  and  foot." 

They  did  the  joh  promptly  and  well,  Ike  Slump 
raving  worse  than  ever  in  the  meanwhile. 

"  Now  then,"  directed  Ralph,  "  help  me  carry 
him  to  the  gig.  Van,  this  is  Ike  Slump,  of  whom 
you  have  heard  a  little  something.  He  is  bound 
he  won't  further  the  ends  of  justice,  and  I  am  as 
fully  determined  that  at  least  he  shall  not  have  his 
liberty  to  frustrate  them.  We  will  load  him  in 
the  gig,  take  him  to  headquarters,  and  you  are  to 
ask  our  friend  there  as  a  special  favor  to  me  to 
keep  him  safely  till  he  hears  from  me." 

"  I  won't  go!  "  yelled  the  squirming  Ike — "  I'll 
have  your  bones  for  this!  " 

"I  would  advise  you,"  said  Ralph  to  the  frantic 
captive,  "  to  behave  yourself.  You  are  going 
where  you  will  have  good  treatment.  Build  up, 
and  do  some  thinking.  I  shall  be  as  friendly  to 
you  as  if  you  hadn't  tried  to  brain  me." 

"  You  don't  mean,"  said  the  astonished  Van, 
"  that  you  are  going  to  stay  behind?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Ralph,  with  a  significant 
glance  at  Ike.  "  I  have  an  idea  it  is  my  clear  duty 
to  investigate  why  Ike  Slump  built  that  raft." 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

VICTORY ! 

In  about  five  minutes  the  arrangements  wen 
completed  by  Ralph  and  Van  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  their  prisoner  to  "  headquarters." 

Ike  Slump,  tied  securely,  was  snugly  propped 
up  in  the  seat  beside  Van.  Ralph  waited  until  he 
saw  them  safely  on  their  way,  and  then  went 
straight  back  to  the  spot  where  he  had  discovered 
Ike. 

A  cursory  view  of  the  raft  had  already 
awakened  a  vivid  train  of  thought.  Now,  as  he 
looked  it  over  more  particularly,  Ralph  found  that 
he  had  grounds  for  suspicions  of  the  most  promis- 
ing kind. 

"  Ike  must  have  been  at  work  on  this  for 
several  days,"  decided  Ralph.  "  I  didn't  think 
he  had  so  much  patience  and  constructive  ability. 
It's  big  enough  to  cary  a  house,  and  of  course  his 
making  it,  as  he  says,  to  float  himself  down 
stream  to  a  safe  distance,  is  sheer  nonsense." 

Some  large  logs  formed  the  basis  of  the  raft. 
263 


264         RALPH   OF   THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

Over  these  were  nailed  boards  to  give  its  bottom 
depth  and  solidity. 

It  was  a  sight  of  those  boards  that  had  set 
Ralph  thinking.  Such  handy  timber,  he  recog- 
nized, had  no  business  this  far  from  civilization. 
Where  had  they  come  from? 

'  Those  two  are  box  covers/'  concluded  Ralph, 
after  a  close  inspection,  "  and  they  are  the  exact 
size  of  the  boxes  I  saw  at  Cohen's  back  room 
at  Stanley  Junction.  I  must  find  out  what  it 
does  mean."' 

Then  Ralph  made  a  second  discovery,  and 
knew  that  he  was  distinctly  on  the  hot  trail  of 
something  of  importance. 

Two  corners  of  the  raft  were  bound  with  heavy 
brass  pieces  used  as  ornamental  clamps  on  pas- 
senger coaches.  They  were  stamped  inside 
"  G.  N." 

"  Great  Northern  property,  sure,"  reflected 
Ralph,  "  and  of  course  part  of  the  stolen  plunder. 
That  wagon  load  never  went  to  or  through 
Dover,  so  far  as  the  police  people  have  been  able 
to  find  out,  but  I  am  sure  it  did  come  here,  or 
near  here,  or  what  is  Ike  doing  with  those 
pieces?  " 

Ralph  now  set  about  tracing  Ike's  living  quar- 
ters. They  must  be  somewhere  in  the  immediate 
vicinity. 


VICTORY  265 

He  had  little  difficulty  in  following  up  a  worn 
path  across  the  grass.  It  led  to  a  snug  shake- 
down, under  the  lee  of  a  slope  roofed  over  with 
dry  branches  and  grass. 

Here  Ralph  found  a  case  of  canned  goods,  a 
box  of  crackers  and  a  lot  of  tobacco  and  cigarette 
papers.  On  a  heap  of  dry  grass  lay  a  wagon 
cushion. 

Ralph  circled  this  spot.  He  had  to  exert  the 
ingenuity  and  diligence  of  an  Indian  trailer  in  an 
effort  to  follow  the  footsteps  leading  to  and  from 
the  place  in  various  directions.  Finally  he  felt  that 
his  patience  was  about  to  be  rewarded.  For  over 
two  hundred  feet  the  disturbed  and  beaten  down 
grass  showed  where  some  object  had  been 
dragged  over  the  ground,  probably  the  boards 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  raft. 

The  trail  led  along  the  winding  shore  of  the 
creek  and  up  a  continuous  slope.  Then  abruptly 
it  ceased,  directly  at  the  edge  of  a  deep,  verdure- 
choked  ravine. 

Ralph  peered  down.  A  gleam  of  red,  like  a 
wagon  tongue,  caught  his  eye.  Then  he  made 
out  a  rounding  metal  rim  like  the  tire  of  a  wheel. 
He  began  to  let  himself  down  cautiously  with  the 
help  of  roots  and  vines.  His  feet  finally  rested 
on  a  solid  box  body. 

An  irrepressible  cry  of  satisfaction  arose  from 


266         RALPH   OF    THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

the  lips  of  the  lonely  delver  in  the  debris  at  the 
bottom  of  the  ravine. 

When  Ralph  clambered  up  again  he  was  warm 
and  perspiring  but  his  eyes  were  bright  with  the 
influence  of  some  stimulating  discovery. 

He  stood  still  for  five  minutes,  as  if  undecided 
just  what  to  do,  glanced  at  the  fast-setting  sun. 
and  struck  out  briskly  in  the  direction  of  the  road 
leading  to  Dover. 

It  was  midnight  when  he  reached  the  town  he 
had  visited  earlier  in  the  same  day.  Ralph  went 
straight  to  the  police  station  of  the  place. 

For  about  an  hour  he  was  closeted  with  one  of 
the  officers  there  whom  he  had  met  earlier  on  his 
visit  in  the  gig.  They  had  a  spirited  confidential 
talk. 

Ralph  was  on  railroad  business  now,  pure  and 
simple,  for  he  was  acting  in  accordance  with  Road 
Detective  Matthewson's  instructions  and  on  the 
strength  of  his  written  authority. 

"  I  can  catch  a  Midland  Central  train  west  to 
Osego  in  about  an  hour,"  he  planned,  as  he  let: 
the  police  station  and  walked  towards  the  depot. 
"  There's  a  ten-mile  cut  across  country  on  loot  to 
Springfield,  and  then  I  am  headed  for  Stanley 
Junction  by  daylight." 

Ralph  boarded  the  train  at  Springfield  at  about 
six  o'clock  in  the  morning.     His  pass  from  Mat- 


VICTORY  267 

thewson  won  him  a  comfortable  seat  in  the  chair 
car,  and  he  had  a  sound,  refreshing-  nap  by  the 
time  the  10.15  rolled  into  Stanley  Junction. 

Griscom  had  this  run,  but  Ralph  did  not  make 
his  presence  known  to  his  sturdy  engineer  friend. 
He  left  the  train  at  a  crossing  near  home,  and 
was  soon  seated  at  the  kitchen  table  doing  ample 
justice  to  a  meal  hurriedly  prepared  for  him  by 
his  delighted  mother. 

Almost  her  first  solicitous  inquiry  was  for  Van. 

"  Van  is  well  and  happy,  mother,"  Ralph 
answered.  "  Grateful,  too.  And,  mother,  he 
remembers  '  the  dear  lady  who  sung  the  sweet 
songs.'  " 

"  Ralph,  do  you  mean,''  exclaimed  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks tremulously — "  do  you  mean  his  mind  has 
come  back  to  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,  mother." 

"  Oh,  God  be  praised !  "  murmured  the  widow, 
the  tears  of  joy  streaming  down  her  beaming 
face,  lifted  in  humble  thankfulness  to  heaven. 

Then  Ralph  hurriedly  went  over  the  details 
and  results  of  his  trip  with  Van  Sherwin. 

Later  he  spent  half  an  hour  at  a  careful  toilet, 
and  just  as  the  town  clock  announced  the  noon 
hour  Ralph  walked  into  the  law  office  of  Jerome 
Black. 

Mr.  Black  was  a  well-known  attornev  of  Stan- 


268         RALPH   Of   THE   ROUNDHOUSE 

ley  Junction.  He  was  an  austere,  highly  ef- 
ficient man  in  his  line,  had  a  good  general  record, 
and  all  Ralph  had  against  him  was  that  he  was 
Gasper  Farrington's  lawyer. 

It  was  upon  this  account  that  Ralph  had  de- 
cided to  call  upon  him.  All  the  way  to  the  at- 
torney's office  Ralph  had  reflected  seriously  over 
what  he  would  say  and  do. 

The  lawyer  nodded  curtly  to  Ralph  as  he  came 
into  his  presence.  He  knew  the  youth  hy  sight, 
knew  nothing  against  him,  and  because  of  this 
had  granted  him  an  audience,  supposing  Ralph 
wanted  his  help  in  securing  him  work,  or  some- 
thing of  that  kind. 

But  the  leading  lawyer  of  Stanley  Junction  was 
never  so  astonished  in  his  life  as  now,  when  Ralph 
promptly,  clearly  and  in  a  business-like  manner 
outlined  the  object  of  his  visit. 

"  Mr.  Black,"  Ralph  said,  "  I  know  you  are  the 
lawyer  of  Mr.  Gasper  Farrington.  I  also  know 
you  to  have  the  reputation  of  being  an  exact  and 
honorable  business  man.  I  do  not  know  the  ethics 
of  your  profession,  I  do  not  know  how  you  will 
treat  some  information  I  am  about  to  impart  to 
you,  but  I  feel  that  you  will  in  any  case  treat  an 
honest  working  boy,  looking  only  for  his  rights, 
fairly  and  squarely." 

"  Why,  thank  you,  Fairbanks,"  acknowledged 


VICTORY  269 

Black,  looking-  very  much  mystified  at  this  strange 
preface — "  but  what  are  you  driving-  at?  " 

Then  Ralph  told  him.  He  did  not  tell  him  all 
— there  was  no  occasion  to  do  so.  He  simply 
said  that  he  could  produce  evidence  that  Gasper 
Farrington  had  treated  his  dead  father  in  a  most 
dishonorable  manner,  and  that,  further,  he  could 
produce  a  sworn  affidavit  showing  that  the  mort- 
gage on  his  mother's  homestead  was  in  reality 
only  a  deed  of  trust. 

The  lawyer's  brows  knitted  as  Ralph  told  his 
story.  He  could  not  fail  to  be  impressed  at 
Ralph's  straightforwardness.  When  Ralph  had 
concluded  he  said  briefly : 

"  Fairbanks,  you  are  an  earnest,  truthful  boy, 
and  I  respect  you  for  it.  What  you  tell  me  is  my 
client's  personal  business,  not  mine.  But  I  see 
plainly  that  he  must  adopt  some  action  to  avoid  a 
scandal.  Your  grounds  seem  well  taken,  and  I 
am  pleased  that  you  came  to  me  instead  of  making 
public  what  can  do  you  no  good,  and  might  do 
Mr.  Farrington  considerable  harm.  What  do 
you  want? "  < 

"  Simply  two  things — they  are  my  right. 
After  that  let  Mr.  Farrington  leave  us  alone,  and 
we  will  not  disturb  him." 

''What  are  those  two  things?"  inquired  the 
lawyer. 


270  RALPH    OF    THE    ROl'XDHOUSE 

"  The  cancellation  of  the  mortgage  on  my 
mother's  home,  and  the  alleged  forged  note  upon 
which  Mr.  Farrington  hases  a  criminal  charge 
against  one  Farwell  Gibson." 

"  Why !  "  exclaimed  the  lawyer,  very  much 
amazed.  "  What  has  Farwell  Gibson  got  to  do 
with  this  matter?  " 

"  Mr.  Black,"  replied  Ralph,  "  I  can  not  tell  you 
that.  You  have  my  terms.  Mr.  Farrington  is 
a  bad  man.  He  can  make  some  restitution  by 
giving  me  those  two  documents.  That  ends  it,  so 
far  as  we  are  concerned." 

"  And  if  he  does  not  agree  to  your  terms?  "  in- 
sinuated the  lawyer. 

"  I  shall  go  to  some  other  lawyer  at  once,  and 
expose  him  publicly,"  said  Ralph. 

Mr.  Black  reflected  for  some  moments.  Then 
he  arose,  took  up  his  hat,  and  said  : 

"  Remain  here  till  I  return,  Fairbanks.  Mr. 
Farrington  has  been  sick  for  some  days " 

"I  should  think  he  would  be!"  murmured 
Ralph,  to  himself. 

"But  this  is  an  important  matter,  and  can  not 
brook  delay.     I  will  see  him  at  once." 

Ralph  had  to  wait  nearly  an  hour.  When  the 
lawyer  returned  he  closed  the  office  door  and 
faced  his  visitor  seriously. 

*  Fairbanks,"  he  said,  "  I  have  faith  in  your 


J1C  TORY  271 

honor,  or  I  would  never  advise  my  client  to  do  as 
he  has  done.  You  are  sure  you  control  this  mat- 
ter sufficiently  to  prevent  any  further  trouble 
being;  made  for  Mr.  Farrington,  or  any  unneces- 
sary publicity  of  this  affair?  " 

'  Yes,"  assented  Ralph  pointedly — "  unless  I 
ever  find  out  that  we  have  any  just  claim  to  the 
twenty  thousand  dollars  in  railroad  bonds  which 
once  belonged  to  my  father.'' 

"  I  fancy  that  is  a  dead  issue,"  said  the  lawyer, 
with  a  dry  smile.  "  Very  well,  there  are  you, 
papers." 

He  handed  Ralph  an  unsealed  envelope. 
Ralph  glanced  inside. 

Gasper  Farrington  had  been  forced  to  swallow 
a  bitter  dose  of  humiliation  and  defeat. 

The  inclosures  were  the  Farwell  Gibson  forged 
note,  and  a  deed  of  release  which  gave  to  Ralph's 
mother  her  homestead,  free  and  clear. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

CONCLUSION 

Ralph  stepped  across  the  turntable  entrance 
to  the  roundhouse  at  Stanley  Junction  just  as  the 
one  o'clock  whistles  were  blowing". 

It  was  like  coming  home  again.  Limpy,  shin- 
ing up  a  locomotive  headlight,  gave  a  croak  of 
welcome,  jumped  down  from  the  pilot,  and  slapped 
his  greasy,  blackened  hand  into  that  of  his  young 
favorite  with  genuine  fervor. 

The  engineers,  firemen  and  extras  in  the  dog 
house  called  out  the  usual  variety  of  cheery  chaff, 
but  all  pleasant  and  interested. 

"  This  is  a  great  place  to  find  friends !  "  smiled 
Ralph,  and  then  hurried  his  steps,  for  the  round- 
house foreman  at  that  moment  appeared  at  the 
door  of  his  little  office. 

"  This  way,  Fairbanks,"  he  hailed,  quite 
eagerly.  "  Well,"  as  he  ushered  Ralph  into  the 
grimy  sanctum,  "  back  again,  I  see?  " 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Forgan,"  answered  Ralph,  "  and 
glad  to  be  here." 

"What  news?" 

272 


CONCLUSION  273 

"  About  the  stolen  plunder,"  began  Ralph. 

"  Of  course.  That's  the  one  considerable 
weight  on  my  mind,  just  at  present,"  acknowl- 
idged  the  foreman,  with  an  anxious  sigh.  "  We 
show  a  mortgage  on  our  inventory,  and  a  big 
railroad  system  don't  take  kindly  to  that  sort  of 
thing,  you  know." 

"  Very  well,  Mr.  Forgan,"  said  Ralph  brightly, 
"  you  can  change  your  inventory." 

"  What!  you  don't  mean " 

"  I  have  found  the  wagon  load  of  brass  fit- 
tings," answered  Ralph.  "  They  are  in  safe 
charge  at  the  present  time,  subject  to  your  order. 
Here  is  my  report  to  the  special  agent,  Mr. 
Matthewson,  and  I  guess,  Mr.  Forgan,  I'm  out  of 
a  job  again,  for  I  don't  see  anything  further  in 
sight." 

"  Fairbanks,  you're  a  trump !  "  shouted  the 
delighted  foreman,  slapping  the  young  railroader 
vigorously  on  the  shoulder.  "  You've  saved  me 
some  uneasiness,  I  can  tell  you !  That  your  re- 
port?" with  a  glance  at  a  neatly-directed  envelope 
Ralph  had  produced.  "  Come  with  me.  We 
want  to  catch  Matthewson  before  he  gets  away. 
He's  going  down  to  Springfield  this  afternoon — 
on  your  business,  too." 

"  On  my  business  ?  "  repeated  Ralph.  "  That 
sounds  like  a  good  omen." 


274  RALPH    OF    THE    ROUXDHOUSE 

"  Don't  you  worry  about  omens,  my  young 
friend!  "  chuckled  the  foreman.  "  You've  about 
won  your  spurs,  this  time.  How  did  you  run 
across  that  stolen  stuff,  when  those  smart,  experi- 
enced specials  never  got  a  sniff  of  it?  " 

"  Quite  by  accident,"  replied  Ralph.  "  I  found 
Ike  Slump.  As  near  as  I  can  figure  it  out.  he  and 
his  tramp  friend  had  a  breakdown  near  Dover. 
The  tramp  appears  to  have  got  discouraged  or 
frightened,  cut  away  with  Cohen's  horses,  sold 
them  and  decamped,  leaving  Ike  in  the  lurch.  Ike 
got  the  wagonload  over  into  a  ravine  to  hide  it 
till  he  could  raft  the  stuff  to  a  distance,  and  dis- 
pose of  it  and  disappear,  too.  I  nipped  his 
scheme  just  in  time." 

Matthewson  appeared  as  glad  to  see  Ralph  as 
Forgan  had  been.  He  expressed  the  liveliest 
satisfaction  at  the  contents  of  the  report  Ralph 
handed  to  him. 

"  I  think  this  will  be  a  final  spoke  in  the  wheel 
of  Mr.  Inspector  Bardon,"  he  said  significantly. 
"  Hope  you  attended  to  your  writing  and  spelling 
in  this  report,  Fairbanks?  " 

"  Why  so?  "  inquired  Ralph. 

"  Because  the  president  of  the  Great  Northern 
is  likely  to  see  it  before  nightfall,"  announced 
Matthewson,  with  a  grim  chuckle. 

The  foreman  and  Ralph  returned  to  the  round- 


CONCLUSION  275 

house.  After  a  while  Big  Denny  came  in,  full 
of  animation  and  welcome.  Ralph  learned  that 
Mrs.  Slump  was  better,  but  hers  was  a  sad  house- 
hold. The  parents  had  about  given  up  ever  re- 
deeming their  scapegrace  son  from  his  evil  ways, 
and  the  stricken  mother  insisted  to  her  husband 
that  they  would  never  know  good  luck  again  until 
he  gave  up  selling  strong  drink. 

"With  a  promise  to  come  up  to  his  house  and  see 
little  Nora,  "  who  so  prettily  says  her  prayers 
for  you  every  night,"  Forgan  told  Ralph,  the 
foreman  allowed  his  friend  to  go  home  late  in  the 
afternoon. 

That  was  a  quiet,  happy  evening  at  the  Fair- 
banks homestead. 

It  seemed  to  mother  and  son  as  though  after  a 
brave,  patient  struggle  they  had  reached  some 
sublime  height,  from  which  they  could  look  back 
over  all  difficulties  overcome,  and  forward  to 
golden  promises  for  the  future. 

Ralph  valued  the  friends  he  had  made  in  the 
railroad  service  and  also  the  experience  he  had 
gained. 

There  had  been  ups  and  downs.  There  was 
hard  work  ahead.  But,  brighter  than  ever,  shone 
the  clear  star  of  ambition  at  the  top  of  the  ladder 
of  the  railroad  career. 

Ralph  felt  that  he  was  in  the  hands  of  his 


276          RALPH   OF   THE    ROUNDHOUSE 

friends,  and  could  afford  to  await  their  exertions 
in  his  behalf. 

The  next  day  he  was  returning-  from  a  stroll, 
turning:  over  in  his  mind  a  plan  to  learn  Matthew- 
son's  decision  as  to  what,  if  anything,  the  com- 
pany wanted  done  with  Ike  Slump,  and  fo  make  a 
visit  to  Farwell  Gibson  with  the  joyful  news  that 
would  make  him  a  free  man,  when  ncaring  home, 
Ralph  hurried  his  steps  at  the  sounds  of  animated 
conversation  within  the  cottage. 

In  the  cozy  little  parlor  sat  his  mother,  and  on 
a  stool  at  her  feet  was  Van.  His  bright,  ingen- 
uous face  was  aglow  with  happiness,  and  he  was 
chatting  away  to  a  loving,  interested  listener 
merry  as  a  magpie. 

"  Hello,  there,  Van  Sherwin ! "  challenged 
Ralph,  in  mock  severity.  "  I  can't  have  any 
prodigal  son  pushing  me  out  of  my  place  this 
way!" 

"  I  have  two  boys  now,"  said  Mrs.  Fairbanks, 
with  a  proud  smile,  as  the  two  manly  young  fel- 
lows joined  hands  in  a  brotherly  welcome. 

"What  brings  you  here?"  was  Ralph's  first 
query. 

"  Slump,  mainly,"  answered  Van. 

"What  about  him?" 

"  Sloped,  bag  and  baggage — and  some  of  Mr. 
Gibson's  baggage  to  boot.     He  played  it  pretty 


CONCLUSION  277 

fine  on  Mr.  Gibson,  who  allowed  him  more  liberty 
than  he  deserved.  Yes,  Ike  cut  out  last  night, 
and  we  thought  you  ought  to  know  about  it  at 
once." 

"  That's  right,"  nodded  Ralph.  "  However, 
maybe  it  is  better  he  should  drop  out  of  the  affair 
in  just  that  way.  It  will  save  trouble  and  compli- 
cations. He  may  sometime  see  the  errors  of  his 
ways,  and  turn  over  a  new  leaf." 

"  I  doubt  it,"  dissented  Van.  "  I  think  he's  an 
all-around  bad  one.  What  about  Mr.  Gibson's 
business,  if  I  may  ask?     He's  terribly  anxious." 

"  Nothing  but  good  news,"  answered  Ralph 
heartily.  "  Mr.  Gibson  is  free  to  introduce  the 
Dover  &  Springfield  Short  Line  Railroad  to  the 
great  traveling  public  just  as  soon  as  he  likes, 
now." 

"  Bet  you  he'll  have  it  running  inside  of  a 
year !  "  predicted  the  exuberant  Van.  "  Bet  you 
in  two  I'm  a  first-class,  bang-up  locomotive  en- 
gineer, and  you're  master  mechanic  of  the  road !  " 

"  That's  a  far  look  into  the  future,  Van,"  said 
Ralph,  with  an  indulgent  smile.  "  Just  now,  I'm 
getting  restless  for  work  of  'most  any  kind — I 
wish  they  would  put  me  back  in  the  roundhouse." 

There  was  a  vigorous  knock  at  the  front  door 
of  the  cottage  at  that  moment. 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  answered  the  summons.     She 


2T&  RALPH  OF  THE  ROUNDHOUSE 

reentered  the  parlor  hoi  ling  an  envelope  in  one 
hand. 

"  A  telegram,"  she  announced. 

"  For  me?  "  questioned  Ralph,  as  she  extended 
it  towards  him. 

"  For  you,  Ralph." 

•It  was  the  first  telegram  Ralph  Fairbanks  had 
ever  received,  and,  his  mind  on  a  working  strain 
already,  he  looked  conscious  and  expectant  as  he 
opened  it. 

The  telegram  was  dated  at  Springfield,  the 
headquarters  of  the  road. 

It  was  signed :  "  James  Blake,  Master  Me- 
chanic." 

At  a  glance  Ralph  comprehended  that  the  mis- 
sion of  his  friend,  Matthewson,  had  been  success- 
ful. 

"The  first  step  up  the  ladder!  "  he  said,  with 
shining  eyes,  to  his  mother  and  Van. 

The  telegram  read  : 

"  Ralph  Fairbanks  will  report  Monday  morn- 
ing at  the  roundhouse,  Stanley  Junction,  for  duty 
as  a  regularly  appointed  switch  towerman  on  th~ 
Great  Northern  Railroad." 


The;  end 


RALIH    QUICKLY    AND    DEFTLY    ATTENDED    TO    THE    CALL    FOR 
SEYERAL    SWITCHES. 


RALPH   IN   THE 
SWITCH  TOWER 


OR 


BY 

ALLEN   CHAPMAN 


NEW  YORK 

GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 

Made  in   the   United  Stales  of    An-erica 


COPVKIGIIT,    igo7 
BY 

THE   MERSHON  COMPANY 
Ralph  in  the  Switch  lower 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I.  Down  and  Out 

II.  Up  the  Ladder 

III.  A  Close  Graze 

IV.  A  Mystery 
V.  The  Stowaway 

VI.  Mrs.  Fairbanks'  Visitor 

VII.  "Young  Slavin  "     . 

VIII.  A  Bad  Lot      . 

IX.  Calcutta  Tom 

X.  A  Mile  a  Minute   . 

XI.  Spoiling  for  a  Fight 

XII.  The  Superintendent's  Opinion 

XIII.  Squaring  Things     . 

XIV.  A  Busy  Evening 
XV.  A  Hero  Despite  Himsei 

XVI.  Kidnapped 

XVII.  A  Midnight  Visitor 

XVIII.  A  Desperate  Chance 

XIX.  The  Double  Wreck 

XX  The  Crazy  Orders 

iii 


PAGE 

I 

8 
20 
32 
4i 
49 
58 
64 
72 

77 

83 

90 

101 

no 

121 
132 
142 

151 
160 
I67 


IV 


CONTEXTS 


CHAPTER 

XXI.  Ike  Slump's      Nutcracker 

XXII.  A  Headstrong  Friend 

XXIII.  Ike  Si  imp  &  Co. 

XXIV.  Fine!      .... 
XXV.  The  Little  Tin  Box  . 

XXVI.  A  Clew! 

XXVII.  Slavin  Gets  a  Job 

XXVIII.  What  the  "Extra"  Toi.d 

XXIX.  Guessing 

XXX.  Precious  Freight 

XXXI.  Half  a  Million  Dollars 

XXXI I.  Conclusion    . 


PACE 

178 
186 
194 
20I 
209 
215 
221 
227 
232 
241 
250 
255 


RALPH    IN   THE  SWITCH 
TOWER 

CHAPTER  I 

DOWN    AND    OUT 

"Get  out  of  here !"  said  Jack  Knight,  head 
towerman  of  the  Great  Northern  Railroad,  at 
Stanley  Junction. 

"Why,  I  ain't  doing  no  harm,"  retorted  Mort 
Bemis,  ex-leverman  of  the  depot  switch  tower. 

"And  stay  out.  Hear  me?"  demanded 
Knight,  big  as  a  bear,  and  quite  as  gruff. 

"What's  the  call  for  sitting  down  on  a  fellow 
this  way,  I'd  like  to  know !"  muttered  Bemis 
sullenly. 

"You're  a  bad  lot,  that's  what,"  growled  the 
veteran  railroader.  "You  always  were  and  you 
always  will  be.  I'm  through  with  you.  So  is 
the  railroad  company.  What's  the  call,  you 
meddlesome,  malicious  reprobate?  That's  the 
call !"  fairly  shouted  the  towerman,  red  of  face 
and  choleric  of  voice. 


2  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

He  moved  one  arm  as  he  spoke.  It  hung  in  a 
sling,  and  the  hand  was  swathed  in  bandages. 

"There's  some  of  your  fine,  Smart-Aleck 
work,"  he  went  on  angrily.  "Come  now,  take 
yourself  out  of  here!  This  is  a  place  for  work- 
ers, not  loafers." 

Mort  Bemis  gave  Jack  Knight  a  revengeful 
look.  Then  he  moved  towards  the  trap  in  the 
floor. 

The  scene  was  the  depot  switch  tower  at  Stan- 
ley Junction,  in  sight  of  the  local  passenger  depot. 
It  loomed  up  thirty  feet  in  the  air,  glass-windowed 
on  every  side.  It  was  neat,  light,  and  airy.  In 
its  center,  running  nearly  its  length,  was  the  row 
of  long  heavy  levers  that  controlled  the  depot  and 
siding  switches  of  the  terminus  of  the  Great 
Northern  Railroad. 

The  big-framed,  business-faced  man  who  bus- 
tled among  these,  keeping  an  angry  eye  meantime 
on  an  unwelcome  visitor,  was  a  veteran  and  a 
marvel  in  local  railroad  circles. 

When  the  Great  Northern  had  come  to  Stan- 
ley Junction,  ten  years  back,  it  brought  old  Jack 
Knight  with  it, 

He  had  an  eye  like  an  eagle  and  the  muscles 
of  a  giant.  The  inside  of  his  head  was  popularly 
believed  to  be  a  vast  railroad  map.  He  controlled 
the    main    rails,    switches,    and    sidings,    like    a 


DOWN  AND  OUT  3 

woman  would  the  threads  of  an  intricate  knitting- 
piece.  He  directed  the  locomotives  and  trains 
up  and  down  that  puzzling  network  of  rails,  like 
puppets  moved  by  strings.  In  ten  years'  service 
he  had  never  been  responsible  for  an  accident  or 
a  wreck. 

Old  Jack,  therefore,  having  never  made  a  mis- 
take in  railroading,  had  little  patience  with  the 
careless,  lazy  specimen  whom  he  had  just  ordered 
out  of  the  place. 

Mort  Bemis  had  been  his  assistant  in  the 
tower.  The  fellow's  record  had  always  been  full 
of  flaws.  He  was  slow  and  indifferent  at  the 
levers.  He  associated  with  a  shiftless  crowd 
outside.  He  borrowed  money  and  did  not  pay 
it  back.  He  was  unreliable,  disagreeable,  and 
unpopular. 

Three  days  previous,  old  Jack  was  adjusting  a 
heavy  weight  bar  on  the  lower  story  of  the  switch 
tower. 

Mort,  upstairs,  was  supposed  to  safely  hold 
back  a  spring-bar  apparatus  while  his  superior 
was  fixing  the  delicate  mechanism  below. 

His  mind  everywhere  except  on  his  task,  Mort 
for  an  instant  took  his  hand  off  the  bar  to  wave 
a  recognition  to  a  chosen  chum,  "flipping"  a  pass- 
ing freight  train. 

There  was  a  frightful  yell  below.      Mort,  terri- 


4  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

fied,  pulled  back  the  bar.  Then  he  stuck  his  head 
through  the  trap.  There  stood  old  Jack,  pale  as 
death,  one  hand  crushed  and  mutilated  through 
his  helper's  outrageous  lapse  of  duty. 

The  old  railroader's  rage  was  terrible,  as  he 
forgot  his  pain  and  hurt  in  the  realization  that 
for  the  first  time  in  ten  years  he  was  crippled  from 
active  service. 

The  frightened  Mort  made  a  dive  for  a  win- 
dow. He  slid  down  the  water-spout  outfljde,  got 
to  the  nearest  switch  shanty,  telephoned  the  depot 
master  about  the  accident, — and  made  himself 
scarce. 

Mort  joined  some  chosen  chums  in  cue  of  the 
haunts  of  Railroad  Street.  He  reported  by 
'phone  "on  the  sick  list"  next  morning.  He  did 
not  show  up  until  two  days  later,  "after  a  good 
and  easy  rest,"  as  he  put  it,  and  then  fancying 
old  Jack's  "grouch"  had  cooled  down. 

Mort's  reception  has  been  related.  lie  was  in- 
formed that  the  railroad  company  had  peremp- 
torily discharged  him.  As  to  old  Jack  himself, 
Mort  readily  discerned  that  the  veteran  railroader 
was  aching  to  give  him  a  good  hiding. 

Mort  did  not  wait  to  furnish  an  excuse  for 
this.  He  now  started  down  the  trap-door  ladder, 
grumbling  and  growling. 

"Be  careful!"   rapidly  but  pleasantly  warned 


DOWN  AND  OUT  5 

someone  whom  Mort  jostled  a  few  feet  from  the 
bottom. 

Mort  edged  over  and  dropped  to  the  floor. 
He  gave  the  speaker  a  keen  look. 

"Hello !  Oh ;  it's  you  ?"  he  muttered  with  a 
scowl;  "Ralph  Fairbanks." 

The  person  addressed  responded  with  a  short 
nod.  Then  he  continued  to  mount  the  ladder 
in  an  easy,  agile  way. 

"Hold  on,"  challenged  Bemis. 

He  had  planted  his  feet  apart,  and  had  fixed 
a  fierce  and  malignant  glance  upon  the  new- 
comer. 

Suspicion,  disappointment,  and  rage  showed 
plainly  in  his  coarse,  sullen  face. 

There  was  something  in  the  striking  contrast 
between  himself  and  the  other  that  galled  Mort. 

He  was  "down  and  out,"  he  realized,  while  the 
neat,  cheery,  ambitious  lad  whom  he  had  hailed, 
three  years  his  junior,  was  "going  up  the  ladder" 
in  more  ways  than  one. 

The  latter  wore  a  new,  clean  working  suit,  and 
carried  a  dinner  pail.  He  suggested  the  whole- 
some, energetic  worker  from  top  to  toe. 

"I  am  holding  on,"  he  observed  to  Mort,  stop- 
ping half-way  up  the  ladder. 

"Thought  you  was  working  at  the  round- 
house?" said  Mort. 


6  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"I  was,"  answered  Ralph  Fairbanks.  "I 
have  been  promoted." 

"Where  to?" 

"Here." 

"What!"  flared  out  Mort.  "What  do  you 
know  about  switch-tower  duty?" 

"Not  much,  only  what  Mr.  Knight  has  shown 
me  for  the  past  two  days.  But  I'll  catch  on,  I 
guess." 

Mort  Bemis  struck  a  tragic  pose  and  his  voice 
quavered. 

"Oho !  that's  the  game,  eh  ?  All  cut  and  dried ! 
My  bread  and  butter  taken  away  from  me,  to  give 
to  one  of  the  master  mechanic's  pets.     Augh !" 

Mort  retreated  with  a  grimace  of  disgust.  He 
was  standing  under  a  floor  grating.  Purposely 
or  by  accident,  Knight,  overhead,  had  dropped  a 
dipperful  of  water  through  the  grating. 

Mort  jumped  outside  the  lower  tower  room, 
growling  like  a  mad  catamount.  He  shook  his 
fist  menacingly  at  Ralph. 

"Fairbanks,"  he  cried,  "I'll  fix  you  for  this!" 

Ralph  did  not  even  look  at  his  enemy  again. 
He  completed  his  ascent  of  the  ladder,  and  came 
up  through  the  trap  with  a  bright,  cheery  hail  to 
old  Jack,  whom  he  liked  and  who  liked  him. 

"I  report  for  active  duty,  Mr.  Knight,"  he  an* 
nounced  briskly. 


DOWN  AND  OUT  7 

"Oh,  do  you?"  retorted  the  old  railroader,  dis- 
guising his  good  nature  under  his  usual  mask  of 
grimness.  "Well,  you're  ahead  of  time  fifteen 
minutes,  so  just  sit  down  and  behave  yourself  till 
I  get  those  freights  over  yonder  untangled. 
Anxious  for  work,  are  you?"  he  pursued  quizzi- 
cally. "You'll  have  enough  of  it.  I'm  ordered 
up  to  the  crossings  tower,  and  you'll  have  to  take 
the  first  half-night  shift  here  alone.  Think  you 
can  manage  it?" 

"I  can  try,  Mr.  Knight,"  was  the  modest  but 
resolute  reply. 


CHAPTER  II 

UP    THE    LADDER 

Ralph  Fairbanks  was  a  full-fledged  rail- 
roader, young  as  he  was. 

Those  who  have  read  the  preceding  volume  of 
this  series,  will  have  no  difficulty  in  recognizing 
the  ahle  and  intrepid  hero  of  "Ralph  of  the 
Roundhouse"  in  the  manly  young  fellow  who  had 
just  reported  for  duty  to  grim  old  Jack  Knight. 

Ralph  had  lived  at  Stanley  Junction  since 
childhood.  His  father  had  been  a  railroad  man 
before  him.  In  fact,  John  Fairbanks  had  been 
instrumental  in  bringing  the  Great  Northern  to 
Stanley  Junction.  He  had  in  part  supervised  its 
construction. 

He  had  died  before  reaping  the  reward  of  his 
services.  However.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  and  his 
friends  knew  that  he  owned  some  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars'  worth  of  railroad  stock  besides  his 
home.  This  stock  could  not  be  located  after  his 
death,  and  Ralph  and  his  mother  found  them- 
selves totally  unprovided  for. 

They  knew  that  in  his  stock  deals  Mr.  Fair- 
8 


UP  THE  LADDER  9 

banks  had  a  partner.  This  was  Gasper  Farring- 
ton,  a  miserly  but  wealthy  magnate  of  the  town. 

To  their  astonishment,  this  man  now  came  for- 
ward with  a  mortgage  on  the  homestead  that 
Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  positive  had  been  paid  off 
before  her  husband's  death. 

Of  this,  however,  she  could  furnish  no  written 
proof.  Farrington  professed  great  sympathy  for 
the  family  of  his  dead  partner,  but  nevertheless 
he  insisted  on  collecting  the  interest  on  the  mort- 
gage. 

He  seemed  very  anxious  to  get  the  Fairbanks 
family  away  from  Stanley  Junction,  and  even 
offered  them  a  bribe  to  go. 

This  fact  aroused  Ralph's  suspicions. 

He  got  thinking  things  over.  He  suddenly 
realized  what  a  sacrifice  his  noble  mother  was 
making  to  keep  him  at  school. 

One  day  he  went  home  with  a  great  resolve 
in  his  mind.  He  announced  to  his  mother  that 
he  had  decided  to  put  aside  boyish  sports  for  hard 
work. 

Ralph  was  a  favorite  with  local  railroaders. 
The  freight  yards  at  Acton  caught  fire,  and  Ralph 
was  impressed  into  temporary  service. 

The  lad's  heroic  acts  won  the  attention  and 
friendship  of  the  master  mechanic  of  the  rail- 
road.    Next  day  Ralph  found  himself  an  em- 


10  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

ployee  of  the  Great  Northern,  as  wiper  under  the 
foreman  of  the  local  roundhouse. 

They  had  offered  him  a  clerical  position  in  the 
general  offices  down  the  line  at  Springfield,  but 
Ralph  declined.  He  announced  his  intention  of 
beginning  at  the  very  bottom  of  the  railroad  lad- 
der and  working  his  way  up. 

How  promptly  and  triumphantly  he  reached 
the  first  rung,  "Ralph  of  the  Roundhouse"  has 
narrated. 

It  was  a  hard  experience,  but  he  soon  won  the 
reputation  of  turning  out  the  cleanest,  brightest 
locomotives  in  the  service. 

Ralph  made  many  friends  and  some  enemies. 
Among  the  latter  was  a  dissolute  boy  named  Ike 
Slump.  This  young  rascal  stole  nearly  a  wagon- 
load  of  valuable  brass  fittings  from  the  railroad 
supply  shops,  and  not  a  trace  of  the  thief  or 
booty  could  be  discovered  by  the  road  detectives. 

Ralph  had  in  the  meantime  befriended  and 
practically  adopted  a  poor  waif,  named  Van  Sher- 
win.  The  latter  had  been  accidentally  struck  in 
the  head  by  a  baseball.  His  reason  seemed  gone. 
Ralph's  tender-hearted  mother  cared  for  him  as  if 
he  was  an  only  son. 

Strange  to  say,  it  was  through  this  lone  waif 
whom  Ralph  had  so  befriended  that  the  young 
railroader  was   led   to  know   a   certain   Farwell 


UP  THE  LADDER  \\ 

Gibson.  This  man  turned  out  to  be,  like  Ralph's 
father,  a  victim  of  the  wiles  of  old  Gasper  Far- 
ring-ton. 

Ralph  and  he  got  comparing  notes.  Gibson 
lived  in  a  lonely  stretch  of  woods.  He  was  day 
by  day  doing  some  grading  work,  which  enabled 
him  to  keep  alive  a  legal  charter  for  a  cut-off  rail- 
way line. 

He  furnished  Ralph  with  the  evidence  that  the 
mortgage  on  the  Fairbanks  home  had  been  paid. 

Incidentally,  near  the  woodland  seclusion  of 
Farwell  Gibson,  Ralph  ran  across  a  wrecked 
wagon  in  a  ravine.  In  this  he  discovered  the 
metal  fittings  stolen  from  the  railroad  company. 

Ike  Slump  got  away,  but  Ralph  secured  the 
plunder.  When  he  returned  to  Stanley  Junction, 
through  a  lawyer  he  made  Gasper  Farrington  ac- 
knowledge the  mortgage  on  their  home  as  in- 
valid, much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  old  miser. 

He  told  Farrington,  too,  that  he  believed  he 
had  his  father's  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth 
of  railroad  bonds  hidden  away  somewhere,  and 
notified  him  that  he  should  yet  try  to  unravel  the 
mystery  surrounding  them. 

Ralph  now  reaped  the  reward  of  duty  well 
done.  Life  grew  brighter.  They  had  a  home, 
and  Mr.  Blake,  the  master  mechanic,  showed  his 
appreciation  of  the  recovery  of  the  stolen  plunder. 


12  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ralph  was  officially  notified  that  he  was  pro- 
moted to  duty  at  the  depot  switch  tower. 

For  two  days  he  had  been  under  the  skilled 
tuition  of  old  Jack  Knight,  learning  the  ropes. 
Now,  at  the  noon  hour  of  a  bright,  balmy  au- 
tumn day,  he  entered  upon  this  second  grade  of 
service  in  the  employ  of  the  Great  Northern. 

It  was  a  pleasure  to  the  ardent  young  rail- 
roader to  view  the  panorama  of  rails  and  switches 
in  plain  view  of  the  switch  tower. 

It  was  a  fascinating  novelty  to  study  old  Jack 
Knight  at  the  levers.  One-handed  as  he  was  for 
the  occasion,  he  went  through  his  duties  like 
some  skilled  master  giving  an  expert  exhibition. 

The  switch  levers  were  numbered  up  to 
twenty.  In  their  center  was  a  dial,  a  foot  across. 
Over  its  surface  ran  an  indicator,  moved  by  an 
electric  button  one  mile  south,  at  the  main  signal 
tower  at  the  limits  of  the  town. 

"Passenger  No.  8,"  ''Freight  10,"  "Express 
3,"  "Special,"  "Chaser,"  and  half  a  dozen  other 
regular  trains  were  marked  on  this  dial. 

Nearby  was  a  telephone,  also  connecting  with 
the  limits  tower.  This  was  in  requisition  every 
minute  to  announce  when  trains  had  passed  a 
certain  switch,  closed  again  behind  them. 

A  large  megaphone  hung  in  readiness  near  an 
open   window  behind  the  operator,   who  darted 


UP  THE  LADDER  13 

from  lever  to  lever  according  as  he  received  his 
orders  by  'phone  or  dial. 

For  two  days,  as  Ralph  had  told  Mort  Bemis, 
he  had  been  under  the  skilled  tuition  of  old  Jack, 
learning  the  switches. 

He  had  gone  down  the  tracks  to  the  limits,  foot 
by  foot  slowly,  twenty  times  or  more  that  morn- 
ing, until  he  had  a  perfect  map  in  his  head  of 
every  rail  and  switch  on  the  roadbeds. 

He  had  familiarized  himself  with  every  lever 
number,  and  that  of  every  train  on  the  road.  He 
realized  that  trained  eye,  ear,  and  muscle  must  be 
ever  on  the  alert,  or  great  loss  of  life  and  property 
might  result  at  any  moment. 

There  was  a  lull  in  active  duty  for  the  veteran 
towerman  as  the  noon  whistles  blew.  Knight  set 
the  lever  for  a  lazy  switch  engine  taking  a  siding, 
sent  the  noon  accommodation  on  her  way,  closed 
the  switches  after  her,  and  gave  attention  to 
Ralph. 

"Well,  Fairbanks,"  he  said,  slipping  his  coat 
over  one  arm  and  changing  his  cap,  "think  you 
can  manage?" 

"I  can  obey  orders,"  answered  Ralph. 

"That's  all  you  have  to  do.  The  limits  gives 
you  your  cue.  Never  forget  that  they  are  the 
responsible  party.  If  they  say  six,  make  it  six,  if 
you  see  that  it's  going  to  bust  a  train  of  Pull- 


14  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

mans,  depot,  and  all.  Obey  orders — that's  the 
beginning  and  end.  Number  two  is:  Use  your 
own  judgment  with  chasers  and  freights  when 
the  tracks  are  full." 

Just  then  the  telephone  bell  rang.  Ralph 
grasped  the  receiver. 

"No.  4,  express,  backing  in,"  and  Ralph  re- 
peating it  casually  for  old  Jack's  benefit,  stepped 
on  the  long,  narrow  plank  lining  the  lever  plat- 
form. 

"Three  for  the  yards  switch,  7  for  the  in  main, 
and  4  for  the  express  shed  siding,"  he  pro- 
nounced. 

It  took  some  muscle  to  pull  over  the  big  heavy 
levers  in  turn,  which  were  not  operated  on  the 
new-style  compressed  air  system. 

Knight  watched  him  closely,  nodding  his  head 
in  approval  as  Ralph  closed  the  switches  on 
limits'  'phoning  as  the  express  passed  certain 
points.  As  a  locomotive  backing  three  express 
cars  passed  the  tower  and  took  the  sheds  tracks, 
old  Jack  observed : 

"You'll  do.  I'll  drop  in  later.  Your  shift 
runs  till  9  p.  M.  Then  Doc  Bortree  will  relieve 
you." 

"All  right,  Mr.  Knight.  And  thanks  for  all 
your  trouble  in  teaching  me,"  said  Ralph. 

The  old  towerman  disappeared  down  the  trap 


UP  THE  LADDER  15 

ladder.  Ralph  did  not  sit  down.  He  was  alone 
now,  and  it  would  take  time  and  experience  to 
dissipate  the  natural  tension  of  anxiety  he  felt. 

"It's  a  big  responsibility  for  a  boy,"  he  spoke 
musingly.  "They  know  their  business,  though," 
he  went  on,  "and  have  confidence  in  me,  it  seems. 
Well,  I'll  make  good,  if  strict  obedience  to  orders 
is  the  keynote." 

The  ensuing  hour  was  a  great  strain  on  Ralph's 
nerves.  It  was  a  critical  situation,  for  at  one 
o'clock  it  seemed  as  if  every  switch  engine  in  the 
service  started  up  simultaneously. 

Three  freights  and  one  out  and  one  in  pas- 
senger complicated  the  situation.  Ralph's  eye 
never  left  the  dial.  His  ear  got  trained  to  catch- 
ing the  slightest  click  on  the  telephone. 

He  felt  as  flabby  as  a  doormat  and  was  wet 
with  perspiration,  as  he  finally  cleared  the  yards. 

"Never  a  miss!"  he  panted,  with  a  good  deal 
of  satisfaction.  "It  couldn't  come  much  swifter 
than  that  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night..  It's 
genuine  hard  work,  though,  and  expert  work, 
too.     Well,  I've  made  a  fair  beginning." 

Ralph  had  it  quite  easy  for  an  hour  now.  He 
rested  in  the  big  cane  armchair  on  a  little  elevated 
platform  directly  in  front  of  the  levers.  From 
there  he  had  a  clear  view  of  every  foot  of  the 
yards. 


ICj  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Some  roundhouse  hands,  passing  by,  waved 
him  a  genial  hail.  The  depot  master  strolled  by 
about  three  o'clock,  and  called  up  to  know  how 
Knight's  hand  was  getting  on.  Just  after  that, 
Ralph  fancied  he  recognized  Mort  Bemis  in  a 
group  of  loaferish-looking  fellows  on  the  freight 
tracks.  A  call  to  the  levers,  however,  distracted 
his  attention,  and  when  he  looked  again  the 
coterie  had  disappeared. 

"I'll  have  a  stirring  report  to  make  to  mother 
to-night,"  reflected  Ralph,  with  pleasurable  antici- 
pation. 

A  short  freight  had  just  taken  the  far  siding. 
Its  engineer  held  up  two  fingers  to  Ralph.  This 
indicated  that  he  wanted  main  two.  After  that 
his  crew  set  the  unattached  switches  beyond 
themselves. 

The  freight  was  slowing  up,  when  Ralph  saw  a 
female  form  come  over  the  bumpers  of  two  of 
the  moving  cars.  She  leaped  to  the  ground  as 
nimbly  as  an  expert  switchman. 

The  fireman  of  the  freight  yelled  at  her  and 
shook  his  fist.  She  tossed  her  head  in  the  air  and 
proceeded  across  the  planked  passenger  roadbeds, 
dodging  a  hand-car,  climbing  over  a  stationary 
freight,  and  continuing  recklessly  across  the 
railroad  property  where  outsiders  were  not 
allowed. 


UP  THE  LADDER  17 

She  was  a  somewhat  portly,  reel-faced  woman 
of  about  forty.  She  wore  a  hideous  poke  bonnet, 
and  carried  a  bulging  umbrella"  with  a  heavy 
hooked  handle. 

In  crossing  between  the  cars  she  simply 
reached  up  with  this,  encircled  the  brake-rod  with 
the  umbrella  handle,  and  pulled  herself  to  the 
bumpers. 

A  flagman  came  rushing  up  to  her.  He 
pointed  to  the  painted  sign  on  a  signal  post  near 
by,  warning  trespassers. 

Ralph  watched  the  determined  female  flare  up. 
The  flagman  tried  to  stop  her.  She  knocked  off 
his  cap  with  a  sweeping  blow  of  the  umbrella, 
and  proceeded  calmly  on  her  way  with  the  stride 
of  some  amazon. 

Ralph  was  wondering  at  her  temerity  and  mis- 
sion. She  was  headed  straight  for  the  switch 
tower. 

Just  then  the  dial  clicked.  ''Chaser"  it  indi- 
cated, and  down  the  main  track  came  a  locomo- 
tive and  tender  at  full  speed. 

The  'phone  gave  the  direction:  Track  11. 
This  was  a  set  of  rails  rounding  beyond  the  blank 
wall  of  the  in  freight  on  a  sharp  curve. 

It  took  one  lever  to  set  the  switch  from  the 
main  track,  another  to  open  the  rails  inside  track 
eleven. 


18  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

On  the  main,  forty  feet  farther  on,  stood  the 
made-tip  afternoon  accommodation  train.  On 
No.  u  were  two  dead  Pullmans,  ready  for  the 
night  express. 

The  levers  of  in  main  and  track  eleven  were 
less  than  three  feet  apart.  Ralph  grasped  one 
with  each  hand,  to  slide  the  main  with  his 
right  and  complete  the  switch  circuit  with  his 
left. 

It  was  an  easy  task,  knowing  just  what  was 
wanted,  and  a  full  thirty  seconds  to  act  in. 

The  minute  that  Ralph's  hands  struck  the 
levers,  a  thrill  and  then  a  chill — strong,  over- 
powering, and  deadly — paralyzed  every  nerve  in 
his  body. 

Every  vestige  of  sensation  left  his  frame — his 
hands,  perfectly  nerveless,  seemed  glued  to  the 
levers. 

He  could  not  detach  them,  strive  as  he  might — 
he  could  not  exert  a  single  ounce  of  pulling 
power. 

With  a  gasp  Ralph  saw  the  chaser  engine  dash 
down  the  rails,  a  hundred,  eighty,  seventy,  fifty 
feet  from  the  main  switch,  tender  in  front,  so 
engineer  and  fireman,  relying  on  the  tower  serv- 
ice, never  noticed  that  they  were  headed  for  a 
tremendous  crash  into  the  made-up  accommoda- 
tion. 


UP  THE  LADDER  19 

With  a  sickening  sense  of  horror  Ralph  strove 
to  pull  the  levers.      Impossible! 

Something  was  wrong!  He  could  not  move 
a  muscle.  Like  one  petrified  he  glared  down  at 
the  flying  locomotive,  headed  straight  for  disaster 
and  destruction. 


CHAPTER  Hi 

A  CLOSE    GRAZE 

Crack  !     Crack !     Crack !     Crack  ! 

Ralph's  strained  hearing  caught  these  sounds 
vaguely.  All  his  attention  was  centered  on  the 
locomotive  apparently  speeding  to  sure  disaster. 

The  next  instant,  however,  he  became  aware 
that  in  some  mysterious  way  these  noises  signal- 
ized his  rescue  from  a  terrible  situation. 

The  lever  rods  his  hands  clasped  vibrated 
harshly.  As  if  by  magic  that  glue-like  suction 
tension  on  his  fingers  was  withdrawn. 

His  hands  still  burned  and  tingled,  but  a  great 
gasp  of  relief  left  his  lips.  His  eyes  fixed  on  the 
rushing  engine,  his  hands  now  pulled  the  levers  in 
order. 

Not  six  inches  from  taking  the  in  main  rails, 
not  eight  seconds  from  reducing  the  accommoda- 
tion to  a  heap  of  kindling  wood,  the  "chaser"  shot 
switch  eleven,  and  glided  smoothly  to  the  termi- 
nus. Its  serene  crew  never  dreamed  how  they 
had  grazed  death  by  a  hair's  breadth. 

20 


A  CLOSE  GRAZE  21 

Ralph  half  fell  between  the  levers.  He  felt 
that  his  face  must  be  the  color  of  chalk.  His 
strength  was  entirely  spent.  He  still  grasped  the 
levers,  hanging  there  for  a  moment  like  a  person 
about  to  faint. 

Fortunately  there  was  no  call  for  switch  tower 
service  during  the  ensuing  minute  or  two. 
Ralph  tried  to  rally  his  dazed  senses,  to  compre- 
hend what  was  going  on  below. 

For  again  a  swishing,  cracking,  clattering 
sound  rang  out.  This  time  it  was  followed  by  a 
curdling  cry  of  pain. 

''You'll  blind  me — you're  tearing  my  hair  out 
by  the  roots !"  screamed  a  voice  which  Ralph  in- 
stantly recognized. 

It  belonged  to  Mort  Bemis.  Ralph  began  to 
have  a  coherent  suspicion  as  to  the  cause  of  his 
recent  helplessness. 

"I'll  tear  twenty-six  dollars  out  of  you,  or  I'll 
have  your  hide!"  proclaimed  strident  feminine 
tones. 

"I  hain't  got  no  money." 

"You'll  get  it  for  me.  What,  strike  me  with 
that  piece  of  wire!     You  wretch.  I'll " 

There  was  a  jangling  crash,  as  of  some  heavy 
body  thrown  back  against  the  lever  cables  in  the 
lower  story  of  the  switch  tower. 

Then    its    door    crashed    open,    and    glancing 


22  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

through   the   windows    Ralph   saw    Mort   Bemis 
clash  into  view. 

He  sped  across  tracks  as  if  for  his  life.  He 
was  hatless,  his  face  was  streaked  with  red  welts. 
From  one  hand  trailed  a  piece  of  insulated  elec- 
tric light  wire. 

(living  a  frightened  backward  glance  as  he 
readied  a  line  of  freights,  the  ex-towerman  leaped 
the  space  between  two  cars  and  disappeared  from 
view. 

From  the  lower  story  of  the  switch  tower  there 
now  issued  exclamations  of  rage  and  disgust. 

Ralph  started  to  look  down  the  ladder  trap. 
Just  then  the  dial  called  for  a  switch,  and  duty 
temporarily  curbed  his  interest  and  curiosity.  As 
he  set  clear  tracks  again,  a  head  obtruded  through 
the  trapdoor. 

It  was  that  of  the  resolute  woman  Ralph  had 
noticed  a  little  time  past  so  audaciously  crossing 
the  rails  and  defying  instructions.  Her  face  was 
red  and  heated,  her  eyes  flashing.  Her  hair  was 
in  disorder,  and  the  poke  bonnet  was  all  awry. 

''Be  careful — don't  fall,  madam,"  said  Ralph 
quickly,  with  inborn  chivalry  and  politeness, 
springing  to  the  trap. 

He  put  out  a  hand  to  help  her.  She  dis- 
dained his  assistance  with  an  impatient  sniff,  and 
cleared  the  ladder  like  an  exper*- 


A  CLOSE  GRAZE  23 

"Don't  trouble  yourself  about  me,  young  man," 
she  observed  crisply.  "I'm  able  to  take  care  of 
myself." 

"I  see  you  are,  madam." 

"I've  run  an  ore  dummy  in  my  time,  when  my 
husband  was  head  yardman  at  an  iron  works,  and 
I  know  how  to  climb.  See  here,"  she  demanded 
imperatively,  fixing  a  keen  look  on  the  young  rail- 
roader, "are  you  boss  here?" 

"Why,  you  might  say  so,"  answered  Ralph. 
"That  is,  I  am  in  charge  here." 

The  woman  put  down  her  umbrella  to  adjust 
her  bonnet.  Ralph  observed  that  the  umbrella 
was  in  tatters  and  the  ribs  all  broken  and  twisted. 
He  comprehended  that  it  was  with  this  weapon 
that  she  had  just  assaulted  Mort  Bemis. 

"If  you're  the  boss,"  pursued  the  woman,  "I'm 
Mrs.  Davis — Mort  Bemis'  landlady,  and  I  want 
to  know  what  I've  got  to  do  to  get  twenty-six 
dollars  thet  he  owes  me  for  board  and  lodging 
for  the  last  six  weeks." 

"I  see,"  nodded  Ralph — "slow  pay,  that  fel- 
low." 

"No  pay  at  all !"  flashed  out  the  woman  wrath- 
fully.  "He  came  to  me  month  before  last  with 
a  great  story  of  promotion,  big  salary,  and  all  his 
back  funds  tied  up  in  a  savings  bank  at  Spring- 
field.     Last  pay  day  he  claimed  someone  robbed 


24  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

him.  This  pay  day  he  dropped  from  the  garret 
window,  leaving  an  old  empty  trunk.  I  got  on 
his  trail  to-day,  and  I  want  to  garnishee  his 
wages.     How  do  I  go  about  it  ?" 

"I  don't  know  the  process,"  said  Ralph,  "never 
having  had  any  experience  in  that  class  of  busi- 
ness, but  I  should  say  garnisheeing  in  this  case 
would  simply  be  sending  good  money  after  bad." 

''How?"  demanded  Mrs.  Davis  sharply. 

"Bemis  has  very  likely  drawn  every  cent  the 
company  owes  him." 

"But  his  pay  is  running  on." 

"Not  now,  madam.  He  was  discharged  two 
days  ago." 

"W-what!"  voiced  Mrs.  Davis,  in  dismay. 
"And  won't  he  be  taken  back?" 

"From  what  I  hear — hardly,"  said  Ralph. 

The  woman's  strong,  weather-beaten  features 
relaxed.  All  her  impetuosity  seemed  to  die  out 
with  her  hope.  Ralph  felt  sorry  for  her.  She 
was  brusque  and  harsh  of  manner,  masculine  in 
her  ways,  but  the  womanly  helplessness  now  ex- 
hibited was  pathetic. 

She  tottered  back  to  the  armchair,  every 
vestige  of  willfulness  and  force  gone.  Appar- 
ently this  odd  creature  never  did  things  by  halves. 
She  sunk  down  in  the  chair,  and  began  to  cry  as 
if  her  heart  would  break.     Ralph  was  called  back 


A  CLOSE  GRAZE  25 

to  the  levers  and  had  no  time  to  console  her.  He 
watched  her  pityingly,  however.  Between  her 
sobbings  and  incoherent  lamentations  he  pretty 
clearly  made  out  the  history  of  her  present  woes. 

Mort  Bemis  had,  it  seemed,  shown  himself  a 
"dead  beat  of  the  first  water."  Mrs.  Davis  had 
recently  come  to  Stanley  Junction,  and  had  rented 
an  old  house  near  a  factory  owned  by  Gasper  Far- 
rington. 

Bemis  had  applied  for  board  and  lodging. 
With  what  he  promised  to  pay,  and  with  what 
she  could  make  off  an  orchard,  vegetable  patch, 
and  some  poultry,  this  would  give  Mrs.  Davis  a 
fair  living. 

"And  he  never  paid  me  a  cent,"  she  sobbed  out. 
"Last  Saturday  my  last  cent  went  for  flour.  Yes- 
terday I  used  up  the  last  bread  in  the  house.  I 
haven't  eaten  a  morsel  this  blessed  day.  The 
man  who  owns  the  house  threatens  to  turn  me 
out  if  I  don't  pay  the  six  dollars  rent  by  six 
o'clock  to-night,  and  all  for  that  rascally,  thieving 
Bemis !  A  full-grown  man,  and  robbing  and 
cheating  a  poor  lone  widow  like  me !" 

Ralph  glanced  up  and  down  the  rails.  Then 
he  glided  over  to  the  clothes  closet  at  the  end  of 
the  tower  room  and  secured  his  dinner  pail. 

"And  what  was  the  scoundrel  up  to  below, 
when    I   discovered   him  just   now,    I'd   like   to 


26  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

know?"  went  on  Mrs.  Davis.  "Some  dirty  mis- 
chief, I'll  be  bound.  He  had  a  wire  fixed  around 
a  bigger  one,  and  was  holding  the  scraped  copper 
ends  against  the  lever  cables  till  they  sparked  out 
little  flashes  of  fire.  Say,  can't  he  be  arrested 
for  swindling  me?  The  reprobate  deserves  to 
suffer." 

Ralph  gave  a  little  start  of  comprehension  just 
there.  The  woman's  last  recital  had  cleared  up 
the  mystery  of  his  recent  sudden  helplessness. 

There  was  no  doubt  whatever  in  his  mind  but 
that  the  revengeful  Mort  Bemis  had  started  in  to 
"fix"  him,  as  he  had  threatened  earlier  in  the  day. 
His  knowledge  of  the  details  and  environment  of 
the  switch  tower  had  enabled  him  to  work  out  a 
well-devised  scheme. 

Ralph  knew  that  Bemis  was  determined  to 
undermine  and  discredit  him  at  any  cost. 

He  theorized  that  in  some  way  Bemis  had  con- 
nected the  current  from  the  wires  that  looped  up 
from  the  road  boxes  into  the  tower.  He  had  the 
practiced  eye  to  know  what  levers  Ralph  would 
use.  Bemis  had  thrown  on  the  current,  mag- 
netizing the  new  leverman  at  just  the  critical 
moment. 

But  for  the  providential  intervention  of  Mrs. 
Davis  a  destructive  collision  would  have  oc- 
curred,  Ralph  would  have  been  disgraced,,  and 


A  CLOSE  GRAZE  27 

there  would  have  been  a  vacancy  at  the  switch 
tower. 

"The  villain!"  breathed  Ralph,  all  afire  with 
indignation,  and  then  his  glance  softened  as  he 
turned  to  the  woman  seated  in  the  armchair. 
Her  grief  had  spent  itself,  but  she  sat  with  her 
chin  sunk  in  one  hand,  moping  dejectedly. 

There  was  a  short  bench  near  one  of  the  win- 
dows. Ralph  pulled  this  up  in  front  of  the  arm- 
chair. He  opened  his  lunch  pail  and  spread  out 
a  napkin  on  the  bench.  Then  on  this  he  placed 
two  home-made  sandwiches,  a  piece  of  apple  pie, 
and  a  square  of  the  raisin  cake  that  had  made 
his  mother  famous  as  a  first-class  cook. 

All  this  Ralph  did  so  quickly  that  Airs.  Davis, 
absorbed  in  her  gloomy  thoughts,  did  not  notice 
him.      He  touched  her  arm  gently. 

"I  want  you  to  sample  my  mother's  cooking, 
Mrs.  Davis,"  he  said,  with  a  pleasant  smile. 
"You  will  feel  better  if  you  eat  a  little,  and  I 
want  to  tell  you  something." 

"Well,  well!  did  you  ever?"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Davis,  noting  now  the  sudden  transformation  of 
the  bench  into  a  lunch  table.  "Why,  boy,"  she 
continued,  with  a  keen  stare  at  Ralph,  "I  can't 
take  your  victuals  away  from  you." 

"But  you  must  eat,"  insisted  Ralph.  "I  had 
a  hearty  dinner,  and  have  a  warm  supper  waiting 


28  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

for  me  soon  after  dark.  I  brought  the  dinner 
pail  along-  just  as  a  matter  of  form  in  a  way,  see  " 

'Yes,  I  do  see,"  answered  his  visitor,  with  a 
gulp,  and  new  tears  in  her  eyes — "I  see  you  are 
a  good  boy,  and  a  blessing  to  a  good  mother,  I'll 
warrant." 

"You  are  right  about  the  good  mother,  Mrs. 
Davis,"  said  Ralph,  "and  I  want  you  to  go  and 
see  her,  to  judge  for  yourself." 

Mrs.  Davis  munched  a  sandwich.  She  looked 
flustered  at  Ralph's  suggestion. 

''I'm  hardly  in  a  position  to  make  calls — I'm 
dreadfully  poor  and  humble  just  now,"  she  said 
in  a  broken  tone. 

"Well,"  repeated  Ralph  decisively,  "you  must 
call  on  my  mother  this  afternoon.  You  see,  Mrs. 
Davis,  that  rent  of  yours  has  got  to  be  paid  by 
six  o'clock,  hasn't  it?" 

''The  landlord  said  so." 

"I  have  only  a  dollar  or  so  in  my  pocket  here," 
continued  Ralph,  "but  my  mother  has  some  of  my 
savings  up  at  the  house.  I  want  to  let  you  have 
ten  dollars.  I  will  write  a  note  to  my  mother, 
and  she  will  let  you  have  it." 

Mrs.  Davis  let  the  sandwich  she  was  eating  fall 
nervelessly  to  the  napkin. 

"What — what  are  you  saying!"  she  spoke, 
staring  in  perplexity  at  Ralph. 


A  CLOSE  GRAZE  29 

"Why,  you  must  pay  your  rent,  you  know,,: 
said  Ralph,  "and  you  need  a  little  surplus  till  you 
get  on  your  feet  again.  There  may  be  some  way 
of  shaming  or  forcing  Mort  Bemis  into  paying 
that  twenty-six  dollars.  If  there  is,  I  will  dis- 
cover it  for  you.'' 

"But — but  you  don't  know  me.  I'm  a 
stranger  to  you.  I  couldn't  take  money  from  a 
boy  like  you,  working  hard  as  you  must,  prob- 
ably for  little  enough  wages,"  vociferated  Mrs. 
Davis,  strangely  stirred  up  by  the  generous 
proffer.  "I  might  take  a  loan  from  somebody 
able  to  spare  the  money,  for  I  can  write  to  a  sister 
at  a  distance  and  get  a  trifle,  and  pay  it  back 
again,  but  not  from  you.  Xo — no,  thank  you 
just  the  same — just  the  same,"  and  the  woman 
broke  down  completely,  crying  again. 

Ralph  sprang  to  the  levers  at  a  new  switch  call. 
Then  he  resumed  his  argument. 

"Mrs.  Davis,  you  shall  take  the  ten  dollars,  and 
you  shall  have  twenty  if  you  need  it.  and  that  is 
an  end  to  it.  First :  because  you  are  in  distress 
and  I  have  it  to  spare.  Next :  because  I  owe  you 
a  debt  money  cannot  pay." 

"Nonsense,  boy,"  spoke  Mrs.  Davis  dubiously. 

"It's  true.  You  don't  happen  to  know  it,  but 
you  have  saved  my  position  and  my  character  this 
afternoon.     You  have  probably  saved  the  rail- 


30  RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

road  company  great  loss  of  property,  if  not  of  life 
itself.  I  should  be  a  grateful  boy  to  you,  Mrs. 
Davis.      Let  me  tell  you  why." 

Ralph  did  tell  her.  He  recited  the  story  of 
the  last  hour  at  the  levers.  Before  she  could 
make  a  comment  at  its  termination,  he  had 
written  and  thrust  into  her  hand  a  note  addressed 
to  his  mother. 

"I'll  take  the  ten  dollars,"  said  Mrs.  Davis,  in 
a  subdued  tone,  after  he  had  directed  her  to  his 
home,  ''but  only  as  a  loan.  You  shall  have  it 
back  quick  as  I  can  get  word  from  my  sister." 

"As  you  like  about  that,"  answered  Ralph.  "I 
hope  you  will  make  a  friend  of  my  mother,"  he 
added.  ''She  has  had  her  troubles,  and  you 
would  be  the  happier  for  asking  her  counsel." 

"Yes,  I've  had  a  heap  of  troubles,  boy,"  sighed 
Mrs.  Davis.  "Oh,  dear!  I  may  be  a  little  good 
in  the  world,  after  all.  And,"  with  a  wistful  look 
at  Ralph,  "it's  hopeful  to  think  all  boys  aren't 
like  bad  Mort  Bemis.  And  here  I'm  borrowing 
money  from  you,  and  don't  even  know  your 
name." 

She  groped  in  a  pocket  and  drew  forth  a  worn 
memorandum  book  and  a  pencil.  Then,  opening 
the  book  at  a  blank  page,  she  looked  up  inquir- 
ingly at  Ralph. 

"Fairbanks,"  dictated  Ralph. 


A  CLOSE  GRAZE  31 

Mrs.  Davis  had  placed  the  pencil  point  on  the 
blank  page,  ready  to  write.  As  Ralph  spoke  her 
hand  seemed  swayed  by  a  great  shock. 

The  pencil  and  book  were  nervelessly  dropped 
to  the  floor.  She  turned  a  colorless  face  towards 
Ralph,  and,  shrinking  back  in  the  creaking  arm- 
chair, stared  at  him  so  strangely  and  fixedly  that 
he  was  unable  to  understand  her  sudden  emotion. 


'     CHAPTER  IV 

A    MYSTERY 

Ralph  looked  at  his  switch-tower  visitor  in 
great  surprise. 

"Why,  Mrs.  Davis,"  he  asked,  "what  is  the 
matter?'' 

"N — nothing,"  she  stammered,  trying  to  con- 
trol herself,  but  her  features  were  working 
strangely.      "So  your  name  is  Fairbanks?" 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Davis." 

"Not  John  Fairbanks — how  simple  I  am, 
though,  of  course  not.  Fie  was  an  old  man. 
Are  you  his  son,  then?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph,  his  curiosity  excited. 
"My  name  is  Ralph.  I  am  John  Fairbanks'  son. 
He  is  dead,  you  know.  Were  you  acquainted 
with  him?" 

"Not  acquainted  exactly,"  replied  the  woman, 
in  a  certain  repressed  way.  "I  have  heard  of 
him,  you  see." 

"Oh,  you  mean  since  you  came  to  Stanley 
Junction  ?" 

"No,  no,  a  long  way  from  here,  and  a  long  time 
32 


A  MYSTERY  33 

ago.  "Where  I  used  to  live.  I  heard  he  was 
dead,  and  I  heard  you  and  your  mother  was  dead, 
too.  I  did  not  dream  that  any  of  the  Fairbanks 
were  here  now." 

"Why,  you  amaze  me!"  cried  Ralph.  ''Who 
could  have  told  you  that?"'' 

"A  certain  man.  He  told  a  falsehood,  didn't 
he  ?  I  might  have  known  it.  I  see  now — yes,  I 
begin  to  see  how  things  are." 

She  said  this  in  a  musing  tone,  as  if  half- 
forgetting  that  she  had  an  auditor.  Ralph  was 
more  than  interested.  He  was  startled.  He 
knew  enough  of  human  nature  to  guess  that  Mrs. 
Davis  was  concealing  something  from  him. 

She  arose  quite  flustered,  and  began  to  ar- 
range her  bonnet.  She  evaded  Ralph's  eye,  and 
appeared  anxious  to  get  away.  Ralph  deter- 
mined to  press  some  further  inquiries.  Before 
he  could  begin,  she  made  the  remark : 

"You  are  a  good  boy,  Ralph  Fairbanks,  and 
I  shan't  forget  you.  I  will  take  the  loan  you 
offer  me,  but  it  will  be  promptly  paid  back,  very 
soon.  Boy,"  she  continued,  with  a  good  deal  of 
animation,  as  if  suddenly  stirred  by  some  impul- 
sive thought,  "you  will  get  a  blessing  for  being 
good  to  a  poor  lone  widow,  see  if  you  don't." 

"I  seem  to  be  getting  blessings  all  the  time," 
said  Ralph  lightly,  but  reverently.     "I  guess  life 


34  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

is  full  of  them,  if  you  do  right  and  put  yourself  in 
the  way  of  them.  Is  there  some  special  blessing 
you  are  thinking  of,  Mrs.  Davis?"  he  inquired, 
saying  the  words  because  the  woman  had  used  a 
certain  significant,  mysterious  tone  in  her  last 
statement.  This  made  him  believe  she  could 
be  clearer  and  say  a  deal  more,  if  she  chose  to 
do  so. 

"Yes,  there  is,"  replied  Mrs.  Davis,  almost  ex- 
citedly. "You  mustn't  question  me,  though,  boy 
— not  just  now,  anyway.  You  have  given  me  a 
lot  to  think  of.  I  may  tell  you  something  very 
important  later  on — I  may  tell  your  mother  to- 
day.    Good-by." 

As  she  approached  the  trap  in  the  floor,  Ralph 
got  a  call  for  a  switch.  He  was  reluctant  to 
let  his  visitor  depart.  Her  vague  revelations 
disturbed  him.  When  he  had  attended  to  the 
levers,  he  turned  again  to  Mrs.  Davis.  In  doing 
so  he  chanced  to  glance  down  at  the  near  tracks, 
and  fixedly  regarded  two  approaching  figures. 

"Hello,"  he  spoke  irrepressibly,  aloud.  "Com- 
ing here — the  master  mechanic  and  Gasper  Far- 
rington." 

"What's  that — who?"  cried  Mrs.  Davis,  al- 
most in  a  shout. 

Ralph  looked  at  her  in  new  amazement.  As 
she  had  caught  the  last  name  he  had  spoken,  she 


A  MYSTERY  35 

stood  erect  in  a  strained,  tense  way,  seeming  to 
be  frightened. 

The  two  men  Ralph  had  indicated  now  crossed 
the  tracks  and  entered  the  switch  tower  below. 
Their  voices  could  be  heard  distinctly. 

''We  have  a  switch  plan  upstairs  in  the  tower, 
Mr.  Farrington,"  sounded  the  clear,  incisive 
tones  of  Mr.  Blake,  the  master  mechanic  of  the 
Great  Northern. 

"All  right,"  answered  his  companion,  and  the 
accents  of  his  voice  seemed  to  be  familiar  to 
Mrs.  Davis.  She  looked  almost  terrified.  She 
glanced  wildly  around  the  tower  room. 

"Hide  me !"  she  gasped  appealingly  to  Ralph. 

"Why,  what  for?"  he  inquired. 

"It's  Gasper  Farrington,  isn't  it,  just  as  you 
said?    And  he  is  coming  up  here!" 

"It  seems  that  he  is,  Mrs.  Davis,"  responded 
Ralph. 

"I  don't  want  to  meet  him.  I  don't  want  him 
to  see  me — not  yet,"  went  on  the  woman  rapidly. 

"Are  you  afraid  of  Gasper  Farrington,  Mrs. 
Davis?"  asked  Ralph  pointedly. 

But  she  did  not  answer  him.  She  glided  to  the 
coat  closet  at  the  end  of  the  room,  as  if  seeking 
a  hiding-place.  As  she  pulled  its  door  open,  she 
noticed  that  it  was  too  shallow  to  admit  a  human 
form. 


3(5  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

The  dial  again  called  Ralph.  By  the  time  he 
had  attended  to  the  levers,  he  noticed  that  Mrs. 
Davis  had  produced  a  thick  heavy  veil  and  was 
concealing  her  face  under  it.  She  stood  fidgeting 
nervously  at  a  window  at  the  far  end  of  the  room, 
her  back  turned  to  the  trapdoor,  as  if  to  escape 
direct  attention. 

The  master  mechanic  came  into  view.  Then 
he  helped  his  companion  into  the  room. 

Ralph  caught  his  breath  quickly  and  his  lips 
compressed  a  trifle,  as  he  recognized  Gasper  Far- 
rington. 

His  advent  was  a  certain  new  cause  of  some  in- 
quietude to  the  young  leverman.  An  old-time 
enemy,  and  a  bitter  and  crafty  one,  Ralph  knew 
he  could  never  expect  any  good  from  the  miserly 
old  magnate  of  Stanley  Junction. 

Farrington's  wealth  and  position  gave  him  a 
certain  influence  and  power  that  had  been  re- 
peatedly used  to  crush  those  he  did  not  like.  He 
disliked  the  Fairbanks  family  for  more  reasons 
than  one,  and  he  had  tried  to  crush  Ralph  more 
than  once.  In  these  efforts,  however,  he  had 
failed.  Ralph  had  come  off  the  victor  because 
he  was  in  the  right,  which  always  prevails,  sooner 
or  later. 

In  their  last  encounter,  Ralph  had  forced  the 
scheming   Farrington   to   release   the   fraudulent 


A  MYSTERY  37 

mortgage  he  held  on  the  Fairbanks  cottage.  He 
had  bargained  to  keep  the  humiliating  details  of 
Farrington's  swindling  operations  secret  as  long 
as  the  defeated  magnate  let  them  alone.  He 
did  not  think  that  Farrington  would  now  risk 
public  exposure  by  attempting  any  further  tricky 
measures  of  gain  or  revenge.  Still,  Ralph  dis- 
liked coming  in  contact  with  the  man,  who  would 
willingly  do  him  an  injury  and  gloat  over  his 
downfall. 

He  was  glad  that  Farrington  did  not  notice 
him.  The  attention  of  the  magnate  was  at  once 
directed  to  a  blue-print  plan  nailed  between  two 
windows. 

"There  is  the  switch  plan  of  the  yards,  Mr. 
Farrington,"  said  the  master  mechanic,  indicating 
the  sheet  of  paper  in  question. 

Mr.  Blake  nodded  to  Ralph.  Then  he  looked 
inquiringly  at  Mrs.  Davis. 

"A  lady  who  was  looking  for  Mort  Bemis," 
explained  Ralph.  ''He  owes  her  some  money,  it 
seems." 

"He  owes  about  everybody  he  can  work."  said 
the  master  mechanic  brusquely,  and  crossed  the 
room  after  Farrington. 

Mrs.  Davis  quickly  went  to  the  trap.  She 
kept  her  eye  on  Gasper  Farrington  until  safely 
down  on  the  ladder,  placed  her  finger  on  her  lips 


38  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

in  significant  adieu  to  Ralph,  and  then  disap- 
peared. 

The  latter  stood  at  the  levers,  his  back  turned 
purposely  on  the  newcomers  into  the  switch 
tower. 

There  was  no  need  of  his  having  an  encounter 
with  Farrington,  if  it  could  be  avoided.  Ralph 
attended  to  his  duties  strictly.  However,  he 
could  not  help  overhearing  what  the  two  men  at 
the  side  of  the  room  were  saying. 

Ralph  soon  divined  the  nature  of  Farrington's 
visit  to  the  switch  tower.  The  magnate  owned 
a  factory  building  about  half  a  mile  from  the  rail- 
road. It  had  stood  vacant  and  abandoned  for 
some  time,  as  Ralph  knew.  Now,  it  seemed,  a 
manufacturer  had  agreed  to  lease  it  for  a  term  of 
years,  provided  he  could  have  direct  railroad 
transportation  facilities  put  in. 

This  point  the  two  men  at  the  switch  plan  were 
now  discussing.  Farrington  was  following  the 
finger  of  the  master  mechanic,  as  it  moved  along 
over  the  traceries  of  white  and  red  ink  that  criss- 
crossed the  blue  print. 

"Here  is  where  you  start  your  spur,"  Mr. 
Blake  was  explaining.  ''We  can  put  you  in  a 
single  track,  you  to  bear  half  the  expense." 

"You  mean  one-third,"  interrupted  the  bar- 
gaining old  schemer. 


A  MYSTERY  39 

"I  mean  just  what  I  said,"  observed  the  master 
mechanic  grimly.  "It  is  a  long  reach  for  a  sid- 
ing, you  have  no  right  of  way,  and  we  are  supply- 
ing it,  although  we  will  have  to  run  a  pretty  steep 
grade  down  the  ravine,  for  that  is  the  only  land 
we  own  in  your  direction.  We  have  right  of 
way  to  within  three  hundred  feet  of  your  factory. 
As  to  the  strip  that  intervenes " 

"Oh,  there's  nothing  there  but  an  old  shanty  on 
leasehold,"  answered  Farrington. 

"Can  you  get  permission  to  cross  it?"  asked 
Blake. 

"He!  he!"  chuckled  Farrington;  "can  I  get  it? 
I'll  take  it!" 

"Well,  that  is  your  own  matter,"  spoke  Blake. 
"All  we  want  is  a  bond  guarantee  for  five  yean, 
that  you  will  run  enough  freight  over  the  spur  to 
equal  a  ten  per  cent,  annual  investment." 

"Isn't  my  word  good  enough  for  that?"  de- 
manded Farrrington  arrogantly. 

"The  Great  Northern  takes  no  man's  word 
where  a  contract  is  concerned,"  was  the  definite 
answer. 

"All  right,  close  the  matter  up  as  soon  as  you 
like,"  said  Farrington.  "Here's  where  you  con- 
trol the  switches,  eh?"  he  continued,  leaving  the 
plat  and  taking  a  curious  glance  about  the  tower, 
les. 


40  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"I  should  say  it  took  a  clear  head  and  lots  of 
experience  to  avoid  mistakes." 

"It  does,  and  lots  of  muscle,  too — eh,  Fair- 
banks?" spoke  the  master  mechanic. 

Ralph  nodded.  He  aimed  to  escape  recog- 
nition at  the  hands  of  Farrington,  who,  in  an- 
other minute,  would  have  left  the  place.  He 
knew,  however,  that  he  was  discovered,  as  the 
magnate  uttered  a  short,  sharp  grunt. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    STOWAWAY 

"What's  that  ?"  called  out  Gasper  Farrington, 
hobbling  up  to  the  levers  and  staring  at  Ralph. 
"Look  here,  Mr.  Blake,"  he  pursued,  his  brows 
drawn  in  a  mean,  savage  scowl.  ''You  don't 
mean  to  tell  me  this  boy  has  anything  to  do  with 
your  switching?" 

"He  has  everything  to  do  with  it,"  announced 
the  master  mechanic,  looking  as  if  he  was  dis- 
posed to  resent  the  manner  and  words  of  the 
client  he  did  not  like  any  too  well  himself. 

"Well,  then,  it  won't  do !"  snarled  Farrington, 
getting  excited.  "I  want  trustworthy  sen-ice,  I 
do.  I  don't  propose  to  run  the  risk  of  damage 
and  loss  with  a  road  that  hires  kids  for  its  most 
important  work." 

Mr.  Blake's  lips  drew  tightly  together.  Then 
he  remarked : 

"Mr.  Farrington,  the  Great  Northern  knows 
its  business  distinctly,  we  are  responsible  for  any 
damage  caused  by  the  negligence  or  inability  of 
our  employees.     In  this  instance  you  may  quiet 

41 


42  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

your  needless  fears.  Mr.  Fairbanks  thoroughly 
understands  his  business,  and  I  personally  recom- 
mended him  to  his  present  position  on  account  of 
the  cleanest  record  and  best  practical  ability  of 
any  junior  employee  of  the  company." 

"H'm.  Ha!  That  so?"  mumbled  Farrington, 
taken  a  good  deal  aback  by  Blake's  definite  ex- 
pressions of  approval,  while  Ralph  felt  his  heart 
beat  with  pleasure,  and  blushed  hotly.  "All 
right.  I  suppose  you  think  you  know  your  busi- 
ness. Only — he  was  a  barefooted  urchin  six 
months  ago." 

"He  has  earned  a  good  many  pairs  of  shoes 
since  then,"  observed  Blake  crisply. 

Ralph  said  not  a  word.  A  spell  of  silence  en- 
sued. Farrington  stood  like  some  baffled  hyena 
held  back  from  its  prey.  Ralph  quickly  and  deftly 
attended  to  the  call  for  several  switches,  with  a 
precision  and  system  that  even  interested  the  mas- 
ter mechanic. 

"It  strikes  me  he'll  do,"  spoke  Blake,  and 
Ralph  looked  grateful  as  the  master  mechanic 
plainly  evidenced  a  pride  in  the  demonstrated 
ability  of  his  young  protege. 

All  this  roused  the  vengeful,  malignant  Far- 
rington to  the  verge  of  impotent  fury. 

"Ah,"  he  growled,  "favor  cheap  help,  I  sup- 
pose?    All  right.     Though  be  sure  to  make  it 


THE  STOWAWAY  4,3 

your  business  if  any  damage  comes,  that's  all. 
That  boy  owes  me  a  grudge,  and  if  I  know  any- 
thing of  human  nature,  there  will  be  a  wreck  on 
the  factory  spur  before  it's  been  running  long." 

Ralph  felt  his  fingers  tingle.  He  decided  that 
he  had  a  right  to  speak  now.  He  faced  about 
squarely.  The  mean-eyed  magnate  quailed  at 
the  honest  indignation  of  his  glance. 

"Mr.  Farrington,"  said  Ralph,  "have  I  ever 
sought  to  do  you  an  injury?'' 

"Yes — no — perhaps  not,"  stammered  Farring- 
ton, "but  you  would  like  to." 

"Why?"  demanded  Ralph  definitely. 

"Because — because — oh,  I  know  you.  I  know 
the  whole  brood.  You  smashed  a  window  in  my 
factory,  once." 

"Accidentally.  And  paid  for  it.  Is  that 
true  ?" 

Farrington  squirmed.  He  wanted  to  back 
out.  He  found  that  he  could  not  domineer  in 
the  present  instance.  More  than  that,  he  real- 
ized that  he  dared  not.  The  master  mechanic, 
with  a  grim  smile  on  his  lip,  helped  him  out  of  the 
dilemma. 

"Come,  Mr.  Farrington,"  he  said,  smartly 
clicking  his  watch  and  helping  him  through  the 
trap.  "We  will  miss  the  superintendent,  and 
you  say  you  want  to  close  up  this  business  to-day. 


44  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Careful,  take  it  a  rung  at  a  time — you  skunk  I"  he 
concluded  in  an  undertone  to  Ralph,  giving  him  a 
significant  look,  and  meaning  the  words  for 
Ralph's  ear  only. 

Ralph  felt  as  if  the  air  was  cleared  of  some 
violent  poison  at  the  departure  of  this  miserable 
apology  of  a  man. 

''Faugh !  I  won't  think  of  him,"  he  solilo- 
quized. "What  possible  happiness  in  life  can 
such  people  have  ?  I  wonder  which  is  the  worst : 
Mort  Bemis,  poor  and  mean,  or  Gasper  Farring- 
ton,  rich  and  mean.  Which  carries  out  what 
mother  has  often  said:  'Money  is  not  every- 
thing.' " 

Ralph  dismissed  his  enemies  from  his  mind, 
whistling  cheerily  at  his  tasks.  He  thought  a 
good  deal  about  Mrs.  Davis.  He  was  anxious 
to  get  through  work  and  hurry  home,  to  learn  if 
she  had  rAlled  on  his  mother,  and  if  she  had  im- 
parted to  Mrs.  Fairbanks  any  explanation  of  her 
strange  acquaintance  with  his  dead  father,  and  of 
her  still  more  strange  fear  of  Gasper  Farrington. 

From  five  until  seven  o'clock  the  tracks  were 
kept  pretty  full.  Ralph  had  a  busy  time  of  it. 
He  got  through  without  a  delay  or  a  mix-up, 
however.  Jack  Knight  came  up  the  ladder  about 
*igfht  o'clock. 

He  looked  pleased  at  the  collected,  business- 


THE  STOWAWAY  45 

like  way  that  Ralph  handled  things.  He  finally 
remarked : 

"Met  Blake  a  bit  back,  Fairbanks." 

"The  master  mechanic — yes,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"Keep  it  under  your  hat,  now,"  continued 
Knight  significantly.  "Blake  was  riled.  He  said 
he'd  give  half  a  month's  salary  to  wallop  one  man 
in  Stanley  Junction,  if  it  wasn't  business  policy  to 
keep  down  personal  feelings  for  the  good  of  the 
service." 

"Who  was  the  man,  Mr.  Knight?" 

"He  didn't  say,  but  no  friend  of  yours,  it  seems. 
The  gist  of  it  is,  that  this  man — I'd  like  a  crack 
at  him  myself — offered  Blake  two  hundred  dol- 
lars to  get  you  shifted  onto  some  other  section." 

"I  seem  to  come  high,"  smiled  Ralph,  although 
he  experienced  a  faint  uneasiness  at  mind,  as  he 
clearly  comprehended  that  Gasper  Farrington  was 
up  to  some  of  his  old  underhanded  tricks. 

"Well,  Blake  politely  turned  down  the  offer. 
He  said  to  me,  though,  that  if  any  treachery  or 
influence  got  you  the  jacket  in  this  position,  if  he 
had  to  fire  every  other  man  along  the  line,  he'd 
find  a  place  for  you  in  the  train  dispatcher's  office 
at  double  pay." 

"He  is  a  good  friend,"  said  Ralph,  with  emo- 
tion— "and  you,  too,  for  giving  me  the  warning, 
Mr,   Knight.     Knowing   what  I  do,   though,   I 


46  RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

think  I  can  take  care  of  myself.  I  do  not  believe 
the  man  you  refer  to  will  succeed  in  disturbing 
me  here." 

"He  won't,  if  I  can  help  it,"  muttered  old  Jack 
doughtily. 

"Hello,  there!"  hailed  Doc  Bortree,  the  night- 
shift  man,  intruding  his  bulky  form  and  big,  jolly 
face  through  the  trap. 

Bortree  was  a  general  favorite.  He  carried  an 
atmosphere  of  good  nature  always  along  with 
him. 

"Well,  kid,"  he  hailed.  "Busted  anything  to- 
day?" 

"Not  yet,"  answered  Ralph  gayly. 

They  sent  him  home  forthwith.  Ralph  felt 
very  happy  as  he  descended  the  ladder  from  his 
first  real  day's  service  at  the  switch  tower. 

His  work  had  gone  smoothly,  and  he  loved  it. 
A  spice  of  new  interest  had  been  injected  into  his 
personal  affairs  that  day,  and  his  mental  con- 
jectures were  not  unpleasant  ones. 

"I  wonder  if  Mrs.  Davis  saw  mother?"  he 
mused,  as  he  crossed  the  tracks,  homeward 
bound.     "Hello,  a  stowaway!" 

Ralph  halted,  just  passing  a  line  of  delayed 
freights.  A  great  thumping  was  going  on  at  the 
side  door  of  the  end  car. 

"Someone  in  there,  sure,"  soliloquized  Ralph. 


THE  STOWAWAY  47 

"A  tramp,  I  suppose.  Stowed  in  at  some  point, 
and  side-tracked  here  this  morning.  Out  with 
you,  whoever  you  are !"  ordered  Ralph,  unbolting 
and  sliding  back  the  door. 

In  the  dim  light  of  a  distant  arc  lamp  Ralph 
made  out  a  forlorn  figure.  The  stowaway  was 
shabby  and  peaked-looking,  holding  in  one  hand  a 
piece  of  wood  with  which  he  had  been  hammering 
for  release. 

His  face  was  so  grimed  that  Ralph  took  him 
for  a  negro  at  first.  Always  kind-hearted,  the 
young  leverman  had  not  hesitated  to  give  the 
stowaway  prompt  liberty,  and  it  was  in  his  mind 
to  help  him  farther  if  necessary. 

The  stowaway  glanced  all  about  the  yards  as  if 
fearing  the  gauntlet  of  cuff's  and  kicks  often  in 
vogue  for  his  class.  Then,  rubbing  his  eyes  to 
clear  the  glare  of  sudden  light,  he  looked  sharply 
at  Ralph. 

"Hello,"  he  exclaimed,  shooting  back  out  of 
view.      "It's  Fairbanks!" 

"What's  that?"  cried  Ralph,  catching  the  name 
in  wonderment.  "Here,  who  are  you?  Do  you 
know  me?" 

Suddenly  as  the  figure  had  vanished  within  the 
dark  car.  it  now  reappeared.  With  a  spring  the 
stowaway  cleared  the  doorway  of  the  car,  land- 
ing on  the  cinders  beside  Ralph. 


48  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

''Take  that!"  he  hissed,  savagely  whirling  the 
club  above  his  head. 

Ralph  dodged.  Mystified  and  unprepared, 
however,  his  usual  agility  was  at  fault. 

A  heavy  blow  landed  on  the  side  of  his  head, 
and  Ralph  fell  flat. 


CHAPTER  VI 

MRS.    FAIRBANKS'    VISITOR 

It  seemed  to  Ralph  that  his  eyes  closed  tight 
shut  for  half  a  minute,  and  then  came  open  as 
wide  as  ever. 

He  did  not  believe  he  lost  consciousness  for 
more  than  thirty  seconds.  That,  however,  was 
time  enough  for  his  mysterious  assailant  to  make 
himself  scarce. 

Ralph  got  to  his  feet,  quite  shaken.  His  hand 
went  to  the  side  of  his  head  involuntarily.  His 
left  cheek  was  scraped  and  full  of  splinters, 
though  not  bleeding.  A  big  lump  was  rising  in 
front  of  one  ear. 

On  the  ground  lay  the  club  that  had  dealt 
Ralph  the  blow.  He  moved  it  with  his  foot  to 
find  it  heavy,  as  if  made  of  hard  wood. 

"Why,  the  fellow  might  have  killed  me  had  he 
struck  a  little  harder,"  said  Ralph  seriously. 
"Who  was  he  ?  It  must  be  that  he  knows  me,  for 
he  spoke  my  name." 

There  was  a  hydrant  in  the  center  of  a  plat- 
form space  near  by.  Ralph  went  over  to  this  and 
49 


50  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

turned  on  the  water  and  sopped  his  handkerchief, 
applying  it  to  the  lump  on  his  head. 

'"Was  it  Mort  Bemis?"  his  mind  ran  on.  "No, 
I  am  sure  it  was  not.  Bemis  is  stubby  and  broad, 
this  fellow  was  tall  and  slim.  Looked  like  a  half- 
starved  rat.      Who  could  it  be  ?'* 

In  a  minute  or  two  Ralph  went  back  to  the  car 
that  had  proven  for  him  a  kind  of  Pandora's  box. 

He  lifted  himself  through  the  open  doorway 
and  flashed  some  matches. 

The  car  was  bare.  It  smelled  of  tobacco 
smoke,  and  there  was  a  litter  of  cigarette  stubs 
in  one  corner.  The  other  closed  door  was  back- 
sheathed  with  smooth  boards.  Under  these 
Ralph  discovered  some  fresh  whittlings,  or  splin- 
ters.    He  inspected  door  and  floor  more  closely. 

"Ah,  I  see,"  he  observed:  "the  stowaway  has 
been  killing  time  by  cutting  his  name  on  the  pillar 
of  fame." 

The  door  surface  bore  a  record  of  various  jack- 
knife  experts.  Idle  hands,  belonging  to  all  kinds 
of  ride-stealers,  had  from  time  to  time  cut  their 
initials  on  the  smooth  boards. 

There  were  some  pencilings,  too — all  kinds  of 
doggerel  slang  and  initials.  Thus :  "Turnpike 
Tim  on  his  fift'  trip  sout'."  "Mugsey,  the  Ter- 
ror," and  the  warning  line  :  "Bad  road  for  tramps. 
•Calaboose  twice  for  flipping  trains." 


MRS.  FAIRBANKS'  VISITOR  51 

The  last  stowaway,  as  evidenced  by  two  letters 
cut  into  the  board,  had  sought  to  rival  his  pred- 
ecessors. The  newly  indented  initials  were 
nearly  eight  inches  long,  and  formed  an  I  and 
an  S. 

"  T.  S.,'  "  read  Ralph.  ''The  solution  is  easy. 
It  was  Ike  Slump.  Those  are  his  initials,  and, 
come  to  recall  my  fierce  assailant,  he  fits  Ike's 
size  exactly.  That  mean  attack,  too,  would  be 
characteristic  of  Slump.  He  was  afraid  of  me. 
He  needs  to  be.  There  is  a  standing  reward  of 
twenty-five  dollars  from  the  railroad  for  his  ar- 
rest. I  don't  want  the  reward,  but  I  don't  pro- 
pose to  have  him  come  back  to  his  old  haunts  and 
associates  to  bother  me." 

Ralph  walked  home  slowly.  The  blow  he  had 
received  caused  him  some  pain.  The  addition  of 
the  malignant  Ike  Slump  to  the  list  of  his  active 
enemies  troubled  him.  Ralph  knew  what  it  was 
to  fight  a  mean,  underhanded  foe.  The  roster  so 
far  included  not  only  Slump,  but  Bemis  and  Gas- 
per Farrington. 

"It's  my  duty  to  notify  the  railroad  company 
that  Slump  is  again  on  hand,"  declared  Ralph. 
"That  will  dispose  of  him.  As  to  Bemis,  I  shall 
seek  him  out  and  give  him  a  warning.  If  he 
troubles  me  any  further  I  will  have  him  arrested 
for  his  malicious  mischief  of  to-day.      It  would 


52  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

be  a  pretty  serious  charge — endangering  the  rail- 
road property.  Gasper  Farrington  will  not  do 
anything  openly  to  harm  me.  He  dare  not.  But 
he  will  work  against  me  in  the  dark,  if  he  sees  the 
chance  to  do  it.  Well,  I  shall  watch  his  move- 
ments mighty  closely." 

Ralph  spurred  up  as  he  came  within  the  lights 
of  home.  The  lamp  burning  brightly  in  the  front 
room  of  the  neat  little  cottage  was  always  a  cheer- 
ing beacon  to  him,  for  he  knew  it  had  been  placed 
by  loving  hands. 

Mrs.  Fairbanks,  the  tender,  thoughtful  mother, 
made  that  home  a  peaceful  paradise  for  her  only 
son.  She  greeted  Ralph  at  the  door  with  a  wel- 
come that  made  him  forget  instantly  all  of 
the  cares  and  troubles  of  the  day  in  entering 
the  sheltering  of  a  rare  haven  of  rest  and  con- 
tentment. 

Ralph  took  a  good  wash,  at  the  kitchen  sink, 
put  on  a  clean  collar  and  tie  and  a  light  house- 
coat. Then  he  sat  down  to  a  table  steaming  with 
appetizing  food. 

''Why,  Ralph,"  instantly  spoke  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks, "you  have  been  hurt!" 

Ralph  carelessly  moved  his  hand  over  the  lump 
on  his  head. 

"Nothing  serious,  mother,"  he  declared  with 
a   reassuring   smile.     "A    fellow   generally   gets 


MRS.  FAIRBANKS1  VISITOR  53 

some  initiation  bumps  on  his  first  day  in  a  new 
job  on  the  railroad." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  scarcely  satisfied  with  this 
off-hand  explanation,  but  Ralph  at  once  shifted 
the  conversation  into  other  channels.  He  made 
up  his  mind  he  would  not  worry  his  mother  with 
the  story  of  his  encounter  with  Ike  Slump,  at  least 
for  the  present. 

''By  the  way,"  he  said,  as  he  stowed  away  a 
hearty  meal,  ''did  you  have  a  visitor  to-day, 
mother  ?" 

"Why,  yes,"  answered  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  "A 
lady — Mrs.  Davis." 

"I  am  glad  she  came,"  said  Ralph.  ''She  took 
Che  ten  dollars  I  wrote  you  about?" 

"Rather  reluctantly.  She  is  a  strange  woman," 
went  on  Mrs.  Fairbanks  thoughtfully;  "I  could 
not  quite  make  her  out.  She  acted  quite  flighty 
at  times,  but  I  believe  she  is  honest,  and  very 
earnest  in  her  gratitude  and  good  intentions  to- 
wards you." 

"Why,  yes,"  answered  Ralph,  with  a  suggestive 
smile.  "She  promised  me  a  blessing.  Have  you 
any  idea  of  what  she  was  driving  at?"  he  ques- 
tioned, scanning  his  mother's  face  cioselv,  for  he 
observed  that  it  bore  a  vague,  disturbed  expres- 
sion. 

"I  think  I  have,  Ralph.      It  appears  that  she 


54  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

knew — or  at  least  knew  about — your  father,  some 
years  ago." 

"She  told  me  that." 

"And  she  knows  Gasper  Farrington.  She 
asked  me  a  queer  question,  Ralph." 

"What  was  it,  mother?" 

"If  father  did  not  once  own  twenty  thousand 
dollars  in  railroad  bonds,  and  if  we  had  ever  got 
them." 

Ralph  stopped  eating  for  a  moment. 

"She  said  that,  did  she?"  he  murmured. 
"Mother,  wouldn't  it  be  strange  if  she  knew 
something  about  those  bonds?" 

"She  does." 

"How  do  you  know?" 

"Because  she  admitted  it.  Mrs.  Davis  was 
very  much  agitated.  She  seemed  on  the  point 
constantly  of  telling  me  something,  and  then  she 
would  mutter  to  herself  and  apparently  change 
her  mind.  \\  nen  she  went  away  she  looked  at 
me  very  strangely  and  said:  'Mrs.  Fairbanks, 
when  I  get  the  money  from  my  sister  to  pay  your 
son  back  the  ten  dollars  he  has  so  kindly  loaned 
me,  I  am  going  to  tell  him  a  little  story  about 
those  twenty  thousand  dollars  bonds  that  may  in- 
terest him.'  " 

The  bonds  formed  the  topic  of  conversation 
for  mother  and  son  for  nearly  an  hour  after  that 


MRS.  FAIRBANKS'  VISITOR  55 

They  could  only  surmise  and  anticipate,  but  both 
were  very  much  stirred  up. 

"I  tell  you,  mother,"  said  Ralph  emphatically, 
"that  woman  knows  something  of  importance  to 
us  about  those  bonds.  You  and  I  and  others 
have  never  doubted  that  Gasper  Farrington  stole 
them  from  father.  I  have  never  given  up  the 
idea  that  some  day  I  would  reach  the  truth,  and 
force  Farrington  to  disgorge,  just  as  we  made 
him  release  the  fraudulent  mortgage.  I  really 
believe  things  are  going  to  turn  so  as  get  us  our 
full  rights." 

"We  will  hope  so,  Ralph,"  said  the  widow,  with 
a  dubious  sigh.  "And  now  tell  me  all  about  your 
first  day  in  the  switch  tower." 

Ralph  went  to  bed  about  eleven  o'clock.  He 
had  a  good  sleep  until  eight  in  the  morning,  de- 
voted an  hour  or  two  to  tidying  up  the  yard  and 
assisting  his  mother  in  various  ways,  and  at  noon 
started  for  work  again. 

Old  Jack  Knight  was  on  duty,  and  spelled 
Ralph  at  the  levers  until  about  four  o'clock.  No 
unusual  incident  disturbed  the  usual  routine  until 
an  hour  later. 

In  starting  to  give  a  switch  engine  the  siding, 
Ralph  found  the  lever  would  not  budge.  The 
locomotive  engineer  discovered  the  unset  switch 
in  time  to  stop.     Ralph  megaphoned  to  hold  sta- 


56  RALPH  IX  TUB  SWITCH  TOWER 

tionary  till  he  investigated,  and  ran  down  tha 
ladder. 

He  found  the  lever  cables  chained  to  a  wall 
bracket.  Of  course  here  was  some  more  spite 
work.  He  removed  the  obstruction,  hurried  up- 
stairs, switched  the  delayed  engine,  and  kept  an 
eye  out  for  the  watchman  who  covered  that  part 
of  the  yards. 

When  he  finally  appeared  in  view,  Ralph  hailed 
him  and  asked  him  to  come  inside  the  tower. 

"Mr.  Brady,"  he  explained,  "I  wish  you  would 
keep  a  close  eye  on  the  lower  story  here  for  a  day 
or  two." 

"Why,  what's  wrong?"  inquired  the  watch- 
man. 

"Well,  someone  is  up  to  dirty  work,"  replied 
Ralph.  "They  tried  to  put  two  levers  out  of 
commission  yesterday,  and  just  now  I  found  an- 
other lever  chained  up." 

The  watchman  looked  startled,  and  whistled 
under  his  breath. 

"That's  pretty  serious,"  he  remarked. 

"It  is,"  responded  Ralph.  "I  wish  you  would 
keep  a  watch  on  strangers." 

"And  discharged  employees?"  interrogated  the 
watchman,  with  a  shrewd  nod.  "I  think  I  know 
what's  up,  and  who  is  up  to  it." 

Ralph  felt  certain  that  Mort  Bemis  was  back 


MRS.  FAIRBANKS'  VISITOR  57 

of  the  last  attempt  to  cripple  his  usefulness.  He 
did  not,  however,  believe  that  Bemis  himself  had 
chained  the  lever,  for  he  had  kept  a  pretty  close 
watch  of  the  yards  all  afternoon,  and  had  seen 
nothing  of  the  discharged  leverman.  Ralph 
theorized  that  Bemis  had  put  some  associate  up  to 
the  trick.  It  was  an  easy  matter  for  any  passer- 
by to  step  into  the  lower  story  of  the  switch  tower 
without  being  seen  from  above.  Ralph  made  up 
his  mind  he  would  seek  out  Bemis.  When  he 
was  relieved  after  dark  he  did  not  go  home.  He 
had  made  some  inquiries  of  Knight  as  to  the 
present  whereabouts  and  haunts  of  Mort  Bemis, 
and  Ralph  thought  he  knew  where  to  look  for  the 
fellow. 


CHAPTER  VII 
"young  slavin" 

Railroad  Street  to  the  right  of  Stanley 
junction  was  a  busy,  respectable  thoroughfare. 
There  were  a  hotel,  some  restaurants,  a  store  or 
two,  and  beyond  these  some  old  residences. 

To  the  left,  however,  the  street  retrograded  into 
second-hand  stores,  junk-shops,  and  the  like, 
cheap  eating  places  and  boarding-houses,  with  a 
mixture  of  saloons. 

The  lower  class  of  railroad  employees  and  the 
scum  of  the  Junction  usually  infested  these  places. 
At  a  restaurant  called  "The  Signal"  Ralph,  from 
what  he  learned  that  day,  felt  he  was  pretty  sure 
to  get  some  trace  of  Mort  Bemis. 

He  went  by  the  place  slowly  once  or  twice,  but 
could  not  discover  Bemis  in  the  crowded  front 
room. 

Then  he  paced  down  the  alley  at  the  side  of 
the  building.  Several  lower-story  apartments 
showed  lighted  up.  He  approached  the  open 
window  of  one  of  these. 

As  he  did  so,  he  noticed  that  directly  under 


"YOUNG  SLAV  IN"  59 

it  lay  some  person  asleep,  rolled  up  in  horse- 
blankets.  Ralph  nearly  stumbled  over  this  in- 
dividual. 

He  glanced  into  the  room  beyond  the  window. 
It  held  a  table,  at  which  was  seated  the  object  of 
his  search. 

Mort  Bemis  was  idly  pawing  over  a  greasy 
deck  of  playing  cards.  He  seemed  to  be  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  congenial  company.  Tilted  back  in 
a  chair  against  the  wall  near  by,  a  skullcap  pulled 
down  over  his  eyes  and  seemingly  asleep,  was  a 
person  Ralph  did  not  recognize. 

Ralph  now  stepped  cautiously  over  the  sleeper 
at  his  feet  so  as  not  to  disturb  him,  and  went 
around  to  the  front  of  the  restaurant. 

It  was  run  by  a  man  named  Prince,  who  at 
one  time  had  conducted  eating  camps  for  rail- 
road construction  crews.  He  kept  lodgers  up- 
stairs, and  derived  a  good  deal  of  revenue  by  let- 
ting out  the  rear  rooms  of  the  lower  floor  to  card- 
players. 

Ralph  entered  the  restaurant  and  passed 
through  a  curtained  doorway  at  one  side.  Prince, 
at  the  cashier's  desk,  gave  him  a  keen  look,  but 
took  him  for  some  new  recruit  to  the  crowd  who 
infested  the  rear  rooms. 

A  narrow  passageway  led  the  length  of  the  rear 
addition.      Ralph  turned  the  knob  of  the  second 


60  RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

door  he  reached.  He  found  he  had  correctly 
located  the  apartment  he  had  viewed  from  the 
alley. 

Mort  Bemis  looked  up  as  Ralph  closed  the  door 
behind  him.  He  started  and  stared.  Ralph 
Ccune  around  to  the  table,  sank  into  the  chair 
directly  opposite  Bemis,  and  looked  him  squarely 
in  the  face. 

"What  are  you  doing  here?"  demanded  Bemis 
a  surly,  suspicious  expression  crossing  his  fea« 
tures. 

"I  came  particularly  to  see  you,"  answered 
Ralph  calmly.  "Can  I  have  your  attention  for  a 
minute  or  two?" 

"Just  two  of  them,"  growled  Bemis. 

Ralph  did  not  scare  at  the  bullying,  significant 
manner  of  the  discharged  leverman. 

"It's  just  this,"  he  said  bluntly:  "you  visited 
the  switch  tower  yesterday  and  came  very  nearly 
causing  a  bad  wreck." 

"Who  told  you  so?"  demanded  Bemis. 

"Oh,  there  are  plenty  of  witnesses,  your  former 
landlady,  for  one.  Another  low-down  trick  was 
attempted  this  afternoon,  instigated,  I  believe,  by 
you.  Now,  Mr.  Bemis,  this  has  come  to  a  dead- 
open-and-shut  conclusion." 

"Has  it?     How?"  sneered  Mort. 

"I  have  legitimately  succeeded  to  your  posi- 


"YOUNG  SLAVIN"  gj 

tion,  and  I  intend  to  hold  it.  You  seem  resolved 
to  discredit  and  disgrace  me.  It  won't  work. 
If  you  make  one  more  break  in  my  direction,  I 
shall  go  to  the  superintendent  of  the  Great  North- 
ern, make  a  formal  complaint  of  malicious  mis- 
chief, and  then  enter  a  regular  complaint  with  the 
police." 

Mort  Bemis  did  not  reply.  His  bluff  was 
gone,  for  he  knew  that  Ralph  meant  every  word 
that  he  said. 

"There's  another  thing,"  pursued  Ralph :  "you 
owe  a  poor  widow  money  that  she  needs,  and 
needs  badly.  If  you  have  any  sense  of  shame  or 
honor  in  your  nature,  you  will  find  honest  work 
and  pay  her." 

"I  don't  want  none  of  your  advice!"  flared  out 
Bemis.  "You've  said  your  say !  Then  get  out. 
I'll  keep  hands  off  because  I  don't  fancy  being 
locked  up,  but."  he  added  with  a  malicious  grin, 
"I  can't  hold  back  my  friends  from  doing  what 
they  like." 

"You  have  had  your  warning,"  said  Ralph 
quietly,  rising  to  his  feet.  "I've  given  you  your 
chance.     Leave  my  affairs  alone,  if  you  are  wise." 

Ralph  started  for  the  door.  Suddenly  his  way 
was  blocked.  The  person  he  had  supposed  to  be 
asleep,  tilted  back  against  the  wall  in  a  chair,  had 
roused  up  with  marvelous  quickness. 


62  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

As  this  individual  threw  back  his  skullcap,  he 
revealed  the  coarse,  bloated  face  of  a  boy  about 
two  years  Ralph's  senior.  He  was  a  powerfully- 
built  fellow.  Ralph  remembered  having  seen 
him  once  in  the  hands  of  the  police  after  a  raid  on 
a  chicken  fight  at  the  fair  grounds. 

"Easy,"  spoke  this  person,  springing  between 
Ralph  and  the  door,  and  doubling  up  his  fists 
pugilist-fashion.  "This  gent  is  my  friend,  and 
you've  insulted  him." 

"I  think  not,"  said  Ralph  calmly. 

"Do  all  your  thinking  quick,  then,"  advised  the 
other,  "for  I  want  satisfaction." 

The  speaker  drove  at  Ralph  with  one  hand.  It 
was  a  sledge-hammer  blow.  Ralph  whirled  half- 
way across  the  room. 

His  antagonist  followed  him  up  quickly.  His 
back  now  to  the  window,  he  put  up  his  fists 
anew. 

"I  wanted  some  training,"  he  chuckled.  "Come 
up  to  your  punishment.  Do  you  know  who  1 
am?" 

"I  do  not,  and  don't  care,"  answered  Ralph 
quickly,  nettled  out  of  his  ordinary  composure  by 
a  blow  that  had  nearly  knocked  the  breath  out  of 
his  body. 

"Then  you  can't  read  the  newspapers.  I'm 
Young  Slavin,  the  juvenile  Hercules,  light-weight 


"YOUNG  SLAV  IN"  QQ 

champeen.       Come,    wade    in ;    I   give    you   one 
chanct." 

"I  have  no  quarrel  with  you,"  remarked  Ralph. 
"Stand  aside.      I  wish  to  leave  this  room." 

"Ho !  ho !    When  you  do,  it  will  be  on  a  shutter." 

"And  I  shall  not  let  you  pound  me.  I  warn 
you  to  mind  your  own  business." 

"Time !"  roared  the  pugilist  gloatingly. 

Ralph  took  in  the  situation  in  all  its  bearings. 
He  realized  that  he  confronted  a  young  giant. 
To  oppose  his  prodigious  muscular  strength  in 
even  battle  would  be  to  be  hammered  to  a  jelly. 

The  occasion  called  for  action,  however. 
Ralph  reflected  for  a  bare  minute,  and  then  he 
"waded  in." 

With  a  rush  he  made  a  slanting  dive  for  the 
brutal  bully,  aiming  squarely  for  his  feet. 

Exercising  all  the  muscle  of  which  he  was 
capable,  Ralph  grasped  his  antagonist's  ankles, 
took  him  off  his  guard,  gave  him  a  sudden  trip, 
and  sent  him  toppling  backwards. 

With  a  yell  of  consternation  and  pain  Young 
Slavin  went  crashing  through  the  window  sash- 


CHAPTER  VIII 

A    BAD    LOT 

Mort  Bemis  gave  an  astonished  gasp  as  he 
saw  his  crony  disappear  like  magic  through  the 
window  sash. 

His  respect  for  the  nerve  and  prowess  of  his 
successor  at  the  switch  tower  was  immensely  in- 
creased. He  spoke  not  a  word,  being  stupefied 
and  cowed. 

Ralph  started  to  leave  the  room,  unmolested 
now.  A  sudden  outcry  checked  him.  He  pro- 
ceeded to  its  source — the  open  window. 

Below  it  on  the  ground  a  stirring  scene  was 
in  progress.  It  seemed  that  his  masterly  fling  of 
Young  Slavin  had  landed  that  juvenile  Hercules 
directly  on  top  of  the  individual  Ralph  had 
noticed  lying  asleep  under  the  window,  swathed 
in  horse-blankets. 

Aroused  from  dense  slumber  by  a  terrific 
shock,  this  person  had  struggled  to  his  feet. 

"Well,  well,"  said  Ralph,  his  eyes  opening  wide 
as  he  recognized  the  disturbed  sleeper;  ''Ike 
Slump  again." 

64 


A  BAD  LOT  65 

Ralph  at  once  knew  the  gaunt,  desperate- 
looking  fellow,  who  had  jumped  from  the  delayed 
freight  car  and  knocked  him  down  the  previous 
evening. 

The  stowaway's  face  was  no  longer  grimed, 
and  Ralph  had  a  clear  view  now  of  its  natural 
lineaments.  It  was  Ike  Slump,  peaked  and 
wretched-looking.  His  appearance  evidenced 
that  his  stolen  junk  operations  and  his  later  fugi- 
tive role  had  not  led  him  into  any  pleasant  path 
of  flowers. 

It  seemed  that  Slump,  skulking  anywhere  for 
hiding  and  repose  like  a  hunted  rat,  had  utilized 
the  horse-blankets  as  a  bed. 

It  seemed,  too,  that  he  was  in  constant  dread 
of  discovery  and  arrest.  He  must  have  slept 
with  a  missile  or  a  weapon  always  handy,  for  his 
fingers  now  clutched  a  brick. 

Suddenly  disturbed,  his  nervous  fears  aroused, 
at  sea  as  to  the  cause  of  the  shock  as  Slavin  landed 
on  him.  Ike  had  come  erect,  grabbing  the  brick 
instanter. 

He  was  all  entangled  in  his  bed  coverings,  but 
he  maintained  a  staggering  footing.  He  was 
reaching  out  for  his  disturber  to  beat  him  off  with 
the  brick. 

"You've  broken  my  nose,"  he  yelled;  "take 
that— take  that !" 


66  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Murder!"  howled  Young  Slavin. 

He  did  not  use  his  doughty  fists,  for  he  could 
not.  In  blind  rage  and  terror  Ike  was  striking 
out  with  the  brick. 

He  delivered  several  blows  on  Slavin's  head 
and  face  that  made  Ralph  shudder. 

A  final  one  sent  the  young  pugilist  reeling 
back  against  the  clapboards  of  the  house.  He 
was  blinded  with  blood  and  pain,  and  shouted  for 
help  in  sniveling  terror. 

Slump  kicked  his  feet  free  of  the  entangling 
horse-blankets,  and  darted  away  towards  the  rail- 
road tracks. 

Ralph  turned  in  disgust  from  the  scene.  He 
faced  Bemis,  who,  his  curiosity  awakened  by  the 
tumult,  had  come  to  the  window. 

"You  are  training  with  a  nice  crowd,  Mr. 
Bemis,"  observed  Ralph.  "Better  switch  off  and 
get  back  to  the  main  tracks." 

"Lots  of  show  for  me,  isn't  there?"  growled 
Mort  sullenly. 

"Get  a  roundhouse  clearance  of  clean  flues  and 
headlights,  and  try  it,"  answered  Ralph. 

The  allusions  were  technical  ones  that  Bemis 
fully  understood.  But  he  only  blinked  his 
bleared  eyes,  and  more  savagely  gritted  his  teeth 
on  the  cigarette  he  was  smoking. 

"It's  too  bad,"  ruminated  Ralph,  as  he  left  the 


A  BAD  LOT  67 

place,  shaking  his  shoulders  as  if  to  cast  off  a 
spatter  of  filthy  mud.  "It  is  a  terrible  warning, 
too,"  he  continued.  "Thank  Heaven  for  mother, 
home,  and  principle!  Maybe  those  fellows 
haven't  got  all  the  blessings  that  keep  me  in  the 
right  path.  I  wish  I  could  do  them  some  good. 
Well,  I  won't  do  them  any  harm.  Let  Ike  Slump 
go  his  way.  I  fancy  the  punishment  he  has  got 
will  keep  him  from  troubling  anyone  around 
Stanley  Junction  for  a  while." 

Ralph  did  not  inform  the  local  police  of  Ike's 
reappearance,  nor  did  he  lodge  any  complaint 
against  Bemis. 

He  imagined  that  his  visit  to  the  latter  had 
scared  off  his  enemies,  as  two  days  went  by  and 
there  was  no  further  attempt  made  to  obstruct 
his  services  at  the  switch  tower. 

Affairs  there  got  down  to  a  routine  that  pleased 
the  young  leverman.  Not  a  jar  or  break  in  the 
service  occurred.  He  seemed  to  have  glided 
naturally  into  the  details  of  the  business,  and  was 
able  to  take  it  easier  now.  He  did  not  worry 
about  wrecks  any  more.  Following  out  old 
Jack's  definite  instructions  to  always  strictly  obey 
orders  and  act  promptly,  he  simply  watched 
'phone,  dial,  and  levers.  He  let  the  limits  tower 
and  the  yards  switches  take  care  of  themselves. 

It  was  three  days  after  Ralph's  encounter  with 


g8  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Young  Slavin  and  the  fifth  of  his  service  at  the 
switch  tower. 

His  shift  had  been  changed  temporarily.  It 
was  divided  into  four  hours  in  the  morning  and 
four  in  the  afternoon. 

Ralph  had  an  hour  for  dinner.  That  especial 
day  his  nooning  had  something  of  the  element  of 
a  new  interest.  His  mother  told  him  she  had  re- 
ceived a  brief  note  from  Mrs.  Davis. 

The  latter  in  a  penciled  scrawl  told  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks that  the  writer  was  not  very  well,  and 
would  like  to  have  her  call  that  afternoon.  She 
said  she  wanted  to  pay  back  the  ten  dollars  she 
owed  Ralph,  as  she  had  received  a  remittance 
from  her  sister. 

"Are  you  going  to  see  her,  mother?''  inquired 
Ralph. 

"Surely.  I  will  run  up  to  her  house  as  soon  as 
the  dishes  are  washed." 

"I  hope  she  will  tell  you  something  about  those 
bonds,"  said  Ralph.  "I  shall  be  anxious  to  know 
the  result  of  your  call." 

"What  time  will  you  be  home,  Ralph?"  asked 
his  mother. 

"A  few  minutes  after  five,"  he  answered,  and 
started  for  work,  his  mind  filled  with  all  kinds  of 
anticipations  regarding  his  mother's  visit  to  Mrs. 
Davis. 


A  BAD  LOT  69 

A  crowd  lined  the  out  freight  tracks  as  Ralph 
reached  the  depot  yards. 

A  circus  had  come  to  town,  and  the  menagerie 
vans  had  been  switched  on  the  street  sidings  early 
that  morning. 

Now  the  big  circus  wagons  were  unloading 
these,  to  convey  them  to  the  tent  site  up  on  the 
common. 

Some  of  the  cages  were  uncovered  purposely  to 
advertise  the  coming  show.  This  had  drawn  a 
throng  of  excited  urchins  and  the  loungers  from 
lower  Railroad  Street. 

Ralph  halted  for  a  minute  or  two.  watching 
the  removal  of  some  of  the  cages. 

He  moved  up  to  one  that  was  the  center  of  a 
peering,  engrossed  crowd.  Those  present  acted 
as  though  something  was  going  on  out  of  the 
common. 

A  person  who  seemed  to  be  the  manager  of  the 
show,  and  looking  quite  serious  and  important, 
was  giving  some  instructions  to  half  a  dozen  cir- 
cus hands. 

Three  of  these  latter  had  armed  themselves 
with  long  pikes.  Another  carried  a  pole  with  a 
crooked  iron  end,  resembling  a  giant  chicken 
catcher.  A  fifth  had  a  stout  rope  with  a  chain 
end  forming  a  halter.  The  last  of  the  group  car- 
ried an  enormous  wire  muzzle. 


70  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

They  stood  beside  a  car  which  held  a  strong 
iron  cage.  This  was  empty,  and  at  one  end  its 
canvas  covering  was  torn,  and  two  of  its  bars 
were  bent  far  out  of  regular  position. 

Ralph  ran  up  against  an  old  friend  as  he 
pressed  on  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd. 

This  was  John  Griscom,  the  veteran  engineer 
who  had  impressed  Ralph  into  service  the  day  ot 
his  first  railroading  experience  when  the  yards  at 
Acton  had  caught  fire. 

Griscom  was  on  his  way  to  the  roundhouse  to- 
get  his  locomotive  in  trim  for  a  regular  afternoon 
trip.  His  dinner  pail  swung  from  his  arm.  He 
was  such  a  practical  old  fellow  that  Ralph  won- 
dered at  his  taking  an  interest  in  anything  so 
trifling  as  circus  excitement. 

"What's  the  excitement,  Mr.  Griscom?"  he 
asked. 

"Animal  loose." 

"Indeed?     When  did  it  escape?" 

"That's  what's  worrying  the  circus  people. 
They  don't  know.  They  just  took  off  the  canvas 
cover  of  the  cage  to  make  the  discovery.  The 
train  switched  here  before  daylight.  It  was  in 
the  cage  then,  they  say." 

Here  the  six  circus  hands  started  out  on  the 
quest  of  the  missing  animal. 

"Search  the  yards  thoroughly,"   ordered   the 


A  BAD  LOT  71 

menagerie  manager.  "Shoot,  if  you  can't  corner 
him.  It  won't  do  the  show  any  good  to  have  him 
do  damage  or  scare  people.  Fifty  dollars'  reward 
for  the  capture  of  the  beast!" 

"What  kind  of  an  animal  was  it?"  Ralph  asked 
of  Griscom. 

"Toothless  old  bear,  I  suppose,  or  a  blind  lion," 
bluffly  answered  the  railroad  veteran,  who  did  not 
have  a  very  high  opinion  of  the  average  circus 
wild  beast. 

Just  here  the  menagerie  manager  seemed  to 
discover  an  opportunity  for  advertising  the  show 
and  lauding  its  attractions. 

"I  beg  of  you,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  in  a  suave 
tone,  as  the  crowd  made  a  move  to  follow  the 
searching  party — "don't  impede  our  efforts  by 
getting  in  the  way.  Calcutta  Tom,  the  largest 
and  fiercest  Indian  tiger  in  captivity  in  any  men- 
agerie in  the  country,  is  loose.  This  superb  king 
of  the  forests  killed  five  men  before  he  was  caged, 
was  brought  to  this  country  at  a  cost  of  six  thou- 
sand dollars,  and,  if  captured  now,  will  be  on  ex- 
hibition this  afternoon,  along  with  the  most  mar- 
velous aggregation  of  brute  and  human  celebrities 
on  the  face  of  the  civilized  globe  to-day." 

"And  all  for  twenty-five  cents — lemonade  and 
popcorn  a  nickle  extra,"  piped  a  mischievous 
urchin. 


CHAPTER  IX 

CALCUTTA    TOM 

Ralph  walked  in  the  direction  of  the  switch 
tower. 

He  noticed  that  all  the  tracks  seemed  unusually 
inactive,  even  for  the  noon  hour.  The  main 
rails  were  perfectly  clear,  and  a  good  many  loco- 
motives were  on  the  sidings. 

Glancing  up  at  the  switch  tower,  Ralph  was  a 
good  deal  surprised  to  notice  that  it  was  entirely 
unoccupied. 

This  was  startling.  Ralph  had  never  known 
that  post  of  the  service  to  be  untenanted  at  any 
hour  of  the  day  or  night. 

Then  he  noticed  on  the  out  main  rails  near 
the  tower  a  handcar.  A  trackman  stood  with 
his  hands  on  the  pumping  bar.  One  foot  on  the 
car,  his  watch  in  his  hand,  old  Jack  Knight  was 
looking  impatient  and  excited. 

"Hustle,  Fairbanks!"  he  shouted,  and  Ralph 
came  up  on  a  sharp  run.  "Here,"  spoke  Knight, 
extending  a  slip  of  paper  to  Ralph.  "Get  down 
to  the  depot  master,  double-quick.     Then  hustle 

72 


CALCUTTA  TOM  73 

back  to  the  tower.  I'm  bound  for  the  limits 
tower,  to  keep  things  straight  there." 

"Why,  what's  up,  Mr.  Knight?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"Mile-a-minute  special  from  the  north,  due  at 
1. 1 5.  You've  got  fifteen  minutes.  The  out 
tracks  are  set  for  the  1.05  express  all  right.  Soon 
as  she  passes,  set  the  out  main  after  her  so  the 
special  will  take  the  in  tracks  to  the  limits.  No. 
6  will  wait  at  the  limits  while  we  shoot  the  spe- 
cial to  the  out  again." 

"A  special?"  repeated  Ralph,  in  some  bewilder- 
ment, "and  from  the  north " 

''Obey  orders,"  interrupted  Knight  crisply. 
''Nothing  to  move  except  the  express  till  the 
special  passes.  Understand?  Don't  lose  any 
time.  Get  that  slip  to  the  depot  master,  and 
hurry  back  to  the  tower." 

''All  right,"  spoke  Ralph  promptly. 

He  started  on  a  run  for  the  depot,  as  Knight 
sprang  to  the  handcar  and  it  was  whirled  down 
the  rails. 

Ralph  had  a  right  to  be  mystified.  There  was 
no  special  in  place  on  the  depot  tracks.  The 
Great  Northern  had  its  terminus  at  Stanley  Junc- 
tion. 

There  was  a  single  track  running  north  from 
the  depot,  but  it  was  not  in  use.     It  had  been 


74  RALPH  JX  THE  SWITCH  tower 

built  by  the  Great  Northern  to  connect  with  a 
belt  line  fifteen  miles  distant,  all  equipped  as  to 
rails,  switches,  and  roadbed.  Then  the  holding 
companies  had  some  squabble.  Suits  and 
counter-suits  had  tied  up  the  line,  and  it  was 
temporarily  out  of  service  on  an  injunction. 

Ralph  therefore  comprehended  that  it  was  only 
over  this  stretch  of  road  that  any  special  could 
be  expected  from  the  north.  Further,  he  decided 
that  it  must  be  a  very  important  special  that  could 
gain  the  right  of  way  under  existing  legal  com- 
plications and  interrupt  the  regular  system  of  the 
Great  Northern. 

However,  the  order  was  out  and  Ralph  had 
definite  instructions.  He  made  the  depot  in  three 
minutes,  and  darted  into  the  private  office  of  the 
depot  master  without  ceremony. 

That  official  looked  nervous  and  engrossed. 
He  clicked  at  a  telegraph  instrument  with  one 
hand,  while  he  hastily  unfolded  and  scanned  the 
slip  of  paper  Ralph  had  brought. 

"Very  good,"  he  nodded.  "Clear  tracks  to 
Springfield.  If  they  boost  the  special  along  on 
the  other  sections  as  well  as  we  have  done  on 
this,  and  our  president  can  score  a  mile-a-minute 
run,  he  can  reach  his  dying  wife  in  time." 

Ralph  hurried  back  towards  the  switch  tower. 
He  fancied  he  now  understood  the  situation.    Tha 


CALCUTTA  TOM  75 

brief  words  of  the  depot  master  had  been  en- 
lightening*. 

He  guessed  that  the  president  of  the  road  at  a 
distance  had  been  apprised  of  serious  illness  in 
his  family.  Perhaps  the  attendant  physician  had 
wired  a  time  limit.  If  the  anxious  husband 
hoped  to  see  his  stricken  wife  before  she  died,  he 
must  exert  every  privilege  he  controlled  as  the 
head  of  a  great  railroad  system. 

Ralph  reflected  that  he  might  have  been  a  thou- 
sand miles  away  when  he  received  the  an:  ious 
summons.  Influence  and  the  wires  had  possibly 
called  half  a  dozen  interlocking  lines  into  service. 
Even  the  law  had  stepped  aside,  it  seemed,  to 
speed  the  distressed  official  on  his  way,  via  the 
north  spur  of  the  Great  Northern. 

The  1.05  express  steamed  out  of  the  depot  just 
as  Ralph  reached  the  switch  tower. 

"That  clears  the  situation,"  he  reflected.  "Set 
the  out  main  for  the  in  switch  after  she  passes. 
Hark !" 

Ralph  bent  his  ear  at  an  unusual  sound.  This 
was  the  echo  of  a  sharp  locomotive  whistle — to 
the  north. 

.  "The  special  is  coming,"  he  observed,  and 
naturally  with  some  excitement — a  mile-a-minute 
dash  through  the  depot  and  town  was  a  novelty 
for  Stanley  Junction. 


76  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

There  was  no  one  visible  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  switch  tower.  The  unusual 
quietude  of  the  yards  made  Ralph  think  of  Sun- 
day. At  a  little  distance  were  many  engines  and 
freight  trains  standing  on  sidings.  They  were 
held  inactive  on  order.  Engineers  and  firemen 
lounged  on  their  cab  seats,  looking  down  the 
yards  north  expectantly. 

Ralph  rounded  the  tower  structure  briskly. 
He   nilled  out  his  watch. 

"lour  minutes,"  he  spoke,  and  turned  into  the 
lower  doorway. 

In  a  jiffy  he  would  be  up  the  ladder.  A  turn 
of  the  lever,  and  he,  too,  could  sit  down,  and  from 
his  lofty  point  of  observation  leisurely  watch  the 
mile-a-minute  special  flash  by. 

Half-way  across  the  lower  tower  space,  Ralph 
checked  himself. 

A  chill,  startled  sensation  crept  over  his  nerves. 
He  halted  with  a  shock,  gave  a  vivid  stare,  and 
uttered  a  sharp  gasp. 

A  growl  had  warned  him.  Ralph  saw  a  bris- 
tling, sinuous  form  arise  from  the  floor  directly  at 
the  bottom  of  the  ladder. 

Two  fire-balls  seemed  to  glow  at  him  with 
venom  and  menace.  In  a  flash  the  young  lever- 
man  realized  the  situation. 

Ralph  Fairbanks  faced  the  escaped  tiger. 


CHAPTER  X 

A    MILE   A    MINUTE 

Ralph  stood  dumfounded  as  he  made  out  the 
great  Indian  tiger,  Calcutta  Tom,  that  "had  cost 
six  thousand  dollars  to  cage  after  it  had  killed 
five  men." 

The  encounter  was  so  unlooked  for  that  Ralph 
stood  transfixed  for  a  second  or  two. 

The  escaped  animal  could  not  have  been  long 
in  the  switch  house,  otherwise  Knight  or  others 
would  have  discovered  it.  It  had  escaped  before 
daybreak  that  morning.  Since  then  it  must  have 
been  in  hiding  around  the  depot  yards. 

About  twenty  feet  away  from  the  switch  tower 
were  some  open  vault-like  recesses  fitting  into  a 
brick  abutment.  This  inclined  from  the  depot 
baggage  room.  Up  and  down  this,  baggage  was 
run  on  trucks.  It  was  possible  that  for  a  time 
the  tiger  had  lurked  in  some  of  these  dark  re- 
cesses, transferring  itself  to  the  lower  tower  room 
within  the  last  fifteen  minutes. 

Calcutta  Tom  was  a  formidable-looking  beast 
of  enormous  size.  Ralph  noticed,  however,  that 
77 


78  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

while  the  animal  growled  and  bristled  fiercely,  it 
did  not  crouch  or  threaten  to  spring.  It  posed 
clumsily,  showed  no  teeth — if  it  had  any — and 
seemed  determined  to  act  simply  on  the  defensive 
and  repel  intruders. 

Toot-toot-toot-too-ooo-oot ! 

The  shrill,  strange  whistle  in  the  distance  cut 
vividly  on  Ralph's  ear  because  it  proceeded  from 
that  unusual  locality — the  north  spur. 

With  a  thrill  he  caught  its  signal  warning. 
The  limited  was  coming,  the  mile-a-minute  spe- 
cial would  be  hammering  the  main  depot  rails  in 
less  than  three  minutes  now ! 

Its  engineer  had  right  of  way  track  signal  from 
fifteen  miles  back.  He  was  not  expected  to  be 
looking  out  for  obstructions.  The  "O.  K.  clear" 
order  meant  that  he  need  not  trouble  his  mind  as 
to  complications  in  unfamiliar  territory.  The  de- 
layed express  on  the  out  track  was  hidden  from 
view  by  a  curve.  Even  if  discovered,  the  special, 
going  at  a  tremendous  rate  of  speed,  could  not 
slow  up  in  time  to  avoid  a  collision. 

All  these  thoughts  flashed  through  the  young 
leverman's  mind  within  the  space  of  a  single  sec- 
ond. Ralph  knew  that  he  must  instantly  scale 
the  ladder  and  set  the  levers,  or  else  all  would  be 
lost. 

He  made  a  reckless  run  for  the  iron  ladder. 


A  MILE  A  MINUTE  79 

Four  feet  from  it,  he  went  bounding  back  like  a 
rubber  ball. 

Calcutta  Tom  had  simply  raised  a  ponderous 
paw.  It  dropped  on  Ralph's  breast  with  the 
force  of  a  sledge-hammer. 

Ralph  landed  with  a  thud  against  the  inside 
sheathing  of  the  tower.  Then  he  stumbled  flat, 
but  came  erect,  grasping  a  broken  brake-rod  his 
hand  had  chanced  to  touch  on  the  flood. 

Again  the  "Clear  the  way !"  signal  of  the  speed- 
ing special  to  the  north  sent  the  blood  rushing 
through  his  veins  like  quicksilver. 

Ralph  sprang  at  the  tiger,  striking  out  with  all 
his  strength. 

The  bar  was  wrenched  from  his  grasp  by  his 
formidable  brute  foe.  He  saw  it  twisted  up  like 
a  bit  of  flexible  licorice.  The  tiger  made  a 
spring.  Its  bristling  form  filled  the  doorway  al- 
most as  quickly  as  Ralph  had  sped  through  it. 

There  the  tiger  stood,  blinking  at  the  light,  and 
snarling  fiercely.  Ralph  gave  a  great  gasp  of 
desperation,  and  looked  wildly  all  about  him  for 
escape  from  his  dilemma. 

No  one  on  the  sidings  was  near  enough  to 
signal  to  any  advantage.  By  the  time  he  could 
summon  help  and  explain  matters,  the  special 
would  be  on  hand  and  the  damage  done. 

A   cold   sweat   came   out  all   over  his   body. 


80  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ralph  began  to  quake.  It  meant  sure  death  to 
oppose  the  stubborn  brute  in  the  open  doorway. 

"What  shall  I  do — oh,  what  can  I  do?"  panted 
Ralph  in  a  torment  of  agony. 

He  ran  out  a  few  steps  and  looked  up  at  the 
tower  room.  This  loomed  twenty  feet  aloft, 
flanging  out  mushroom-fashion  over  the  lower 
story,  which  presented  a  solid  base. 

The  tower  room  was  inaccessible,  even  if  he 
could  scale  the  lower  building.  Ralph  ran  a  com- 
plete circuit  of  the  structure.  Then  his  eye 
flashed  with  sudden  hope. 

As  nimbly  as  though  his  tiger  foe  was  directly 
at  his  heels,  Ralph  sprang  at  and  clasped  a  tele- 
graph pole.  Its  surface  was  roughened  and  in- 
dented by  the  hooks  of  linemen,  allowing  him  to 
get  a  lifting  grip. 

Ralph  drew  himself  up  slowly.  The  ascent  to 
his  overwrought  mind  seemed  to  consume  an  age. 
It  was  just  forty-five  seconds,  however,  when 
twenty-five  feet  from  the  ground,  his  slivered  and 
bleeding  hands  grasped  the  first  cross-bar  of  the 
telegraph  pole  and  he  lifted  himself  to  it. 

A  foot  or  two  down  and  six  feet  away  was  the 
glass-windowed  side  of  the  tower  room.  Ralph 
pulled  himself  erect  till  both  feet  rested  on  the 
narrow  cross-bar. 

He  steadied  himself  on  his  dizzy  perch.     He 


A  MILE  A  MINUTE  %} 

Seemed  to  have  ceased  to  breathe,  and  his  heart 
stood  still,  so  intense  was  the  strain  on  his  nerves. 
The  wreck  and  ruin  of  a  great  railroad  system  to 
his  exaggerated  senses  seemed  to  impend  on  his 
success  in  a  daring  dive. 

For  a  dive  it  was,  and  a  desperate  one.  All 
the  upper  sashes  fronting  him  were  lowered,  as 
was  the  usage  in  clear  weather.  Ralph  caught 
the  shrieking  blast  of  the  special.  His  expert 
ear  told  him  that  it  was  less  than  a  mile  distant. 
He  poised,  wavered,  and  then  made  a  forward 
spring. 

There  was  a  great  clatter  of  glass.  Ralph  half 
hung  over  the  top  of  the  lower  and  the  lowered 
sashes,  but  his  feet  had  kicked  in  the  double  panes. 
He  fairly  fell  over  the  sashes  into  the  tower  room. 

On  his  feet  in  a  flash,  the  youth  darted  a  swift 
glance  at  the  tower  clock.     It  was  just  1.15. 

"Made  it!"  he  cried,  but  in  a  faint,  hoarse  tone 
— ''made  it,  but  just  in  time !" 

He  was  so  overcome  that  it  was  his  sheer 
weight  rather  than  any  exertion  of  muscle  that 
pulled  bar  4  over  into  place.  Then  Ralph  stag- 
gered back,  and  fairly  fell  into  the  armchair. 

The  ordeal  had  been  a  terrible  one.  He  under- 
stood how  a  man's  hair  turned  white  sometimes 
in  an  hour.  His  teeth  were  chattering,  his  cheeks 
blanched.     He    turned   his   eyes    to   the   north, 


82  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

chained  to  the  chair  momentarily  in  a  kind  of  $ 
dread  stupor. 

A  flagman  across  the  rails  was  yelling  up  at 
him.  He  had  witnessed  Ralph's  sensational  pro- 
ceedings, and  was  staring  at  the  broken  window 
panes.      Ralph  did  not  hear  him. 

Instead,  his  ears  were  filled  with  a  grinding  on 
the  north  rails.  Tearing  down  them,  swaying 
from  side  to  side,  shrieking  out  constantly  for 
clear  tracks,  a  locomotive  with  one  car  attached 
reached  the  far  depot  end  and  went  its  length 
like  a  flash  of  light. 

"The  sp-ecial!"  breathed  Ralph,— "on  time!" 


CHAPTER  XI 

SPOILING    FOR   A    FIGHT 

As  Ralph  spoke  the  special  was  a  blur  as  it 
passed  the  tower,  a  flying  spot  as  it  flashed  to  the 
in  rails,  a  speck  as  it  turned  the  curve. 

Ralph  sat  motionless  till  he  caught  its  whistle 
past  the  limits  tower.  Then  he  realized  that  his 
crucial  test  was  past  and  done. 

The  telephone  bell  rang  noisily.  The  dial  in- 
dicator began  to  move.  The  delayed  freights  set 
up  a  piping  call  for  service.  For  five  minutes 
Ralph  jumped  actively  from  lever  to  lever.  He 
was  glad  of  the  task — it  diverted  his  mind  from 
the  harrowing  ordeal  that  had  so  nearly  un- 
manned him. 

As  there  was  a  lull  in  the  service,  Ralph 
thought  of  the  tiger  below.  He  started  to  send 
a  message  for  relief  over  the  'phone.  Just  then 
he  noticed  a  familiar  form  smoking  a  pipe  on  a 
baggage  truck  near  by. 

"Hey,  Stiggs !"  he  called  from  the  open  win- 
dow. 

.The  person  addressed  was  a  simple-faced,  smil- 

83 


84  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

ing  man  of  about  fifty.  He  wore  a  railroad 
jumper  and  overalls,  but  they  were  spotless,  as  if 
he  had  pretty  light  work.  He  wore,  too,  a  regu- 
lar fireman's  peaked  cap — in  fact  looked  like  a 
seasoned  railroad  hand,  but  moved  as  placidly 
towards  the  tower  at  Ralph's  hail  as  though  he 
was  inspector-general  and  main  owner  of  the  rail- 
road. 

Stiggs  was  a  character  about  the  yards.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  switchmen  employed  by  the 
Great  Northern.  About  two  years  previously, 
however,  he  had  got  terribly  battered  up  in  trying 
to  rescue  an  express  driver  and  his  horses  who 
had  got  wedged  in  on  an  X-switch.  Stiggs  suc- 
ceeded, but  paid  the  penalty. 

When  he  came  out  of  the  hospital  he  was  sound 
of  limb,  but  his  mind  was  affected.  He  was  not 
dangerous  or  troublesome,  but  he  still  imagined 
that  he  was  in  active  service  for  the  railroad  com- 
pany. 

The  Great  Northern  pensioned  him,  and  he  and 
his  wife  got  along  quite  comfortably  on  the  six- 
teen dollars  a  month  allowed  them,  as  they  owned 
their  little  home.  Stiggs,  however,  haunted  the 
yards.  He  put  on  a  fresh,  clean  working  suit 
twice  a  week,  and  went  the  rounds  of  depot,  flag- 
shanties,  switch  tower,  and  roundhouse  twice  a 
day  regularly. 


SPOILING  FOR  A  FIGHT  85 

He  was  so  pleasant  and  inoffensive  that  all 
hands  gave  him  a  welcome.  He  ran  errands  for 
men  on  duty,  and  at  times  unofficially  spelled  the 
crossings  flagmen  while  they  went  to  their  meals. 

His  great  need  was  tobacco.  His  wife  would 
buy  him  none,  saying  they  could  not  afford  it. 
When  the  railroad  men  rewarded  his  little  serv- 
ices with  a  pipeful  or  a  package  of  his  favorite 
brand,  Stiggs  was  a  very  happy  man. 

"Want  me?"  he  called  up  to  Ralph  as  he  neared 
the  tower. 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph.  "Will  you  do  an  er- 
rand for  me?" 

"Sure  pop.  That's  what  the  company  hires 
me  for,  isn't  it?"  demanded  Stiggs  cheerfully. 

"You  know  where  the  circus  train  is  unload- 
ing?" 

"Over  near  the  street — of  course.  I  super- 
vised getting  their  band  chariot  down  the  skids. 
New  men  here — never  handled  chariots  before. 
They'd  have  smashed  her  if  I  hadn't  been  on  deck 
to  direct  them." 

"Experience  counts,  Mr.  Stiggs,"  remarked 
Ralph  indulgently. 

"You  bet  it  does — that's  what  the  company 
hires  me  for." 

"Well,  you  go  down  and  see  if  any  of  the  cir- 
>3us  people  are  still  around 


86  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWEK 

"They  were  ten  minutes  ago." 

"Find  the  manager.  You  know  one  of  their 
wild  animals  is  loose?" 

"I  heard  so." 

"Then  you  bargain  for  a  reward.  Tell  them 
you  can  produce  their  escaped  tiger  if  they  pay 
you  for  your  trouble." 

Stiggs  stared  in  perplexed  simplicity  at  Ralph. 

"But  I  can't,"  he  demurred,  "and  I  never  tell 
a  lie,  you  know." 

"Yes,  you  can,"  asserted  Ralph — "at  least  I 
can.  I  know  where  the  animal  is.  You  hurry  the 
circus  manager  here,  and  I  will  show  up  the 
tiger." 

Simple-minded  Stiggs  craned  his  neck  as  if  ex- 
pecting to  see  the  animal  in  question  in  Ralph's 
company.  Then  his  face  grew  mildly  reproach- 
ful. 

"I  didn't  think  you  would  try  to  hoax  me,  Fair- 
banks!" he  said  sorrowfully. 

"I  wouldn't  for  the  world,  Mr.  Stiggs,"  said 
Ralph.  "I  have  too  much  respect  for  you.  Do 
as  I  .say  now — only  hurry.  Make  a  good  bargain, 
for  a  little  money  won't  do  Mrs.  Stiggs  any  harm. 
Hustle,  though — for  tigers  are  slippery  custom- 
ers, you  know." 

Stiggs  nodded  dubiously,  and  set  off  on  his  er- 
rand.     Ralph  kept  an  eye  on  the  side  of  the  tower 


SPOILING  FOR  A  FIGHT  87 

where  the  lower  entrance  was,  ready  to  warn  any- 
one approaching. 

He  could  hear  the  animal  occupant  of  the  room 
below  moving  about.  Then  it  quieted  down, 
after  a  jangle  of  metal  pieces.  Ralph  figured  out 
that  it  had  made  its  lair  in  the  darkest  corner  of 
the  apartment  where  there  was  a  heap  of  old  junk. 

He  looked  clown  the  ladder,  but  did  not  venture 
below. 

It  was  about  ten  minutes  after  Stiggs  had  de- 
parted on  his  errand,  that  Ralph  had  occasion  to 
warn  a  newcomer. 

He  had  watched  this  person  cross  the  tracks 
from  Railroad  Street  in  a  rather  lurching,  irre- 
sponsible way. 

As  he  came  nearer,  Ralph  recognized  the  bel- 
ligerent friend  of  his  predecessor  at  the  switch 
tower,  Young  Slavin. 

Ralph  had  not  seen  nor  heard  from  Slavin, 
Bemis,  or  Ike  Slump  since  his  adventure  with  the 
trio  at  "The  Signal"  restaurant  on  lower  Rail- 
road Street. 

As  Slavin  drew  nearer,  Ralph  judged,  from  the 
way  that  he  glanced  up  at  the  tower,  that  this  was 
his  intended  goal,  and,  from  the  way  he  clenched 
his  fists  and  hunched  up  his  shoulders,  that  he 
had  got  himself  primed  for  some  mischief. 

Slavin  halted  as  he  got  within  ten  feet  of  the 


88  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWLR 

switch  tower.  In  a  stupid,  solemn  sort  of  way 
he  scanned  its  side,  trying  to  determine  where  its 
entrance  was  located.  Ralph  stuck  his  head  out 
of  the  window. 

"Hello,  there!"  he  hailed. 

"Hello,  yerself !"  retorted  Slavin,  finding1  some 
difficulty  in  steadying  himself  as  he  crooked  his 
neck  to  make  out  his  challenger.  "Who's  that? 
Fill  my  heart  with  joy  by  just  telling  me  it's  the 
fellow  I'm  looking  for — young  Fairbanks!" 

"That  is  who  it  is,"  responded  Ralph  promptly. 
"Want  me?" 

"Do  I !''  chuckled  Slavin,  cutting  a  pigeon- 
wing  and  giving  a  free  exhibition  of  pugilist  fist 
play.  "Oh,  don't  I !  Business,  strictly  business 
— young  man.  Will  you  come  down,  or  shall  I 
come  up?" 

"I  don't  want  to  see  you  bad  enough  to  come 
down,"  observed  Ralph.  "As  to  coming  up,  I 
warn  you  not  to  attempt  it,  just  at  present." 

"Afraid,  eh?"  jeered  Slavin. 

"Was  I  the  other  night?"  asked  Ralph  point- 
edly. 

"That  was  a  foul,"  cried  Slavin  wrathfully. 
"I've  come  for  satisfaction  now,  and  I'm  going 
to  have  it." 

"Not  in  working  hours,  and  not  here,"  declared 
Ralph  definitely.     "Hold  on,  Slavin!"  he  called 


SPOILING  FOR  A  FIGHT  89 

in  some  alarm,  as  his  irresponsible  visitor  rounded 
the  structure,  bent  on  forcing  an  entrance.  "Hey, 
stop !     Don't  go  in  there." 

Slavin  had  reached  the  lower  door  of  the  tower 
room. 

"I  tell  you  to  stop!"  cried  Ralph  strenuously. 
"There's  a  wild  beast  in  there — the  tiger  that 
escaped  from  the  circus." 

"You  can't  bluff  me,"  retorted  Young  Slavin, 
making  a  determined  lurch  through  the  doorway. 

Ralph  ran  to  a  window  sill  and  seized  a  long 
iron  wrench  lying  there.  He  was  really  alarmed 
for  the  safety  of  his  would-be  visitor. 

At  all  odds,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  save  even  an 
acknowledged  enemy  from  a  foolhardy  fate. 

Ralph  got  to  the  trap,  and  started  to  descend 
the  ladder. 

A  curdling  yell  rang  out  from  below,  and 
Ralph  saw  tiger  and  pugilist  whirling  together  in 
a  maze  of  wild  confusion. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    SUPERINTENDENT'S    OPINION 

It  seemed  as  if  the  escaped  circus  tiger  had 
disputed  the  intrusion  of  Young  Slavin  just  as  it 
had  previously  that  of  Ralph. 

Whether  his  belligerent  enemy  had  tried  to  beat 
off  the  animal,  or  it  had  attacked  Slavin  as  he  at- 
tempted to  ascend  the  ladder,  Ralph  could  not 
tell.  One  thing  was  sure,  however:  the  impetu- 
ous "champeen''  found  himself  in  the  mix-up  of 
his  life. 

The  tiger  was  growling  and  snarling.  Slavin 
was  uttering  mufHed  shouts  of  terror  and  pain. 
Ralph  fairly  dropped  down  half  a  dozen  rungs 
of  the  ladder. 

The  wrench  with  which  he  had  armed  himself 
was  heavy,  and  had  a  very  long  handle.  Six 
feet  from  the  floor  of  the  lower  tower  room, 
Ralph  leaned  as  far  out  as  he  could,  holding  on  to 
the  ladder  by  one  foot  and  one  hand. 

Swinging  the  wrench  in  the  other  hano7  and 
watching  his  opportunity,  Ralph  landed  a  sturdy 

90 


THE  SUPERINTENDENT'S  OPINION         Q\ 

whack  directly  on  top  of  the  head  of  the  infuriated 
tiger. 

The  blow  was  severe  enough  to  crack  the  skull 
of  a  human  being.  The  tiger,  however,  only 
ducked  its  head  and  sneezed,  but  it  relaxed  its 
hold  of  Slavin. 

Ralph  saw  its  great  paw  cut  the  air  in  one 
lightning-like  downward  stroke.  He  saw  Slavin, 
with  a  curdling  shriek,  bound  through  the  door- 
way like  a  ball.  Then  the  tiger  turned,  caught 
sight  of  his  new  assailant,  and  crouched  with  a 
malignant  snarl,  posing  for  a  spring. 

Ralph  took  aim.  He  let  go  of  the  heavy 
wrench,  using  it  as  a  missile  now.  It  struck  the 
tiger  squarely  between  the  eyes,  throwing  the  ani- 
mal off  its  balance.  Then  with  due  agility  Ralph 
shot  up  the  ladder  like  a  steeple-jack. 

Once  in  the  tower  room  he  closed  the  trap  and 
fastened  it  down.  A  glance  from  its  window 
showed  some  commotion  in  the  yards  round 
about. 

A  wild,  tattered  figure  was  scudding  in  frenzy 
for  the  street.  It  was  Young  Slavin.  He  was 
hatless,  and,  from  neck  to  heel  down  his  back, 
every  garment  he  wore  was  ripped  exactly  in  two 
as  if  slashed  scientifically  by  a  butcher-knife. 

This  envelope  of  tatters  and  Slavin's  fearful 
outcries  had  attracted  the  attention  of  flagmen, 


92  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

engineers,  and  brakemen  in  the  vicinity.  They 
shouted  after  the  scurrying-  fugitive,  they  even 
tried  to  head  him  off  for  an  explanation.  Slavin, 
however,  lost  to  reason  for  the  moment,  made  a 
mad  bee-line  for  Railroad  Street,  and  disappeared 
behind  some  freight  sheds. 

Ralph  hailed  a  roundhouse  hand  carrying  a 
bucket  of  oil. 

"Shut  the  lower  door,  will  you?"  he  asked. 

The  man  did  so.  It  operated  on  a  spring,  and 
all  he  had  to  do  was  to  detach  a  hook  from  a 
staple  that  held  it  open. 

"Slip  the  padlock,"  continued  Ralph. 

"Why,  that  will  lock  you  in!"  exclaimed  the 
bewildered  oilman. 

"That's  all  right,"  answered  Ralph.   "Thanks." 

He  smiled  to  himself  as  he  answered  some 
switch  calls.  The  smile  broadened  as  he  ran 
Over  the  exciting  incidents  of  the  hour. 

Young  Slavin  was  probably  more  scared  than 
hurt.  In  his  muddled  condition,  amid  the  semi- 
darkness  of  the  lower  tower  room  he  might  not 
have  discerned  or  realized  what  had  attacked  him. 

"He  will  report  me  a  demon,  and  his  friends 
will  think  me  one,  if  he  shows  up  in  those  tatters, 
laying  his  plight  to  my  charge,"  smiled  Ralph. 
"Well,  I  fancy  'the  young  Hercules'  has  got  all 
the  satisfaction  he  wants  for  the  present." 


THE  SUPERINTENDENTS  OPINION         93 

In  about  fifteen  minutes  Ralph  leaned  from  the 
window  to  greet  a  coterie  he  had  been  expecting 
for  some  time. 

Stiggs,  placid-faced  and  leisurely  as  usual,  led 
a  party  Ralph  had  seen  grouped  around  the  circus 
cages  on  the  street  tracks  at  noon. 

The  six  menagerie  men  still  carried  their  equip- 
ment for  capturing  the  escaped  tiger :  pikes, 
hooks,  halter  chain,  and  muzzle. 

The  manager,  his  hat  stuck  back  on  his  head, 
nervously  chewing  a  match  and  urging  Stiggs  to 
hurry,  looked  very  much  excited. 

''Come,  can't  you  hustle  a  bit?"  Ralph  heard 
him  say  to  Stiggs.     "Where's  your  tiger?" 

Stiggs  pointed  up  to  the  switch  tower. 

"What  are  you  giving  me  ?"  demanded  the  cir- 
cus manager  in  disgust — "that's  a  boy." 

"He  sent  me — he  knows  where  the  tiger  is," 
asserted  Stiggs. 

"Oh,  that's  it.  Young  man !"  called  up  the 
circus  manager.     "Do  you  know  this  man  ?" 

"Very  intimately.  I  sent  him  to  you.  I  have 
located  your  escaped  animal,  as  he  told  you,  I 
presume?"  said  Ralph. 

"He  did.  It's  true,  then?"'  cried  the  circus 
manager  eagerly.     "Where  is  the  brute?" 

"Mr.  Stiggs,"  called  down  Ralph,  "are  these 
people  going  to  pay  you  for  your  trouble?" 


94  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Oh.  sure,"  replied  Stiggs  animatedly.  "See 
there — they  gave  me  a  whole  package  of  to- 
bacco." 

Ralph  regarded  the  simple-minded  railroad 
pensioner  pityingly.  He  fixed  a  censorious 
glance  on  the  circus  manager.  The  latter  flushed 
and  looked  embarrassed. 

"He  said  that  was  all  he  wanted,"  stammered 
the  man. 

"Oh,  well,  that  won't  do  at  all,"  declared 
Ralph.  "Your  animal  has  done  some  damage — 
in  fact,  came  very  nearly  doing  a  great  deal  of 
damage.  Besides  that,  Mr.  Stiggs  is  a  poor  man. 
You  offered  a  liberal  reward  for  the  capture  of 
the  animal  this  morning,  I  believe.  Does  that 
offer  stand  good  now?" 

A  little  crowd  had  been  drawn  to  the  spot  by 
the  presence  of  such  an  unusual  group.  Among 
them  was  a  young  fellow  who  had  kept  with  the 
party  since  it  had  started  out. 

The  circus  manager  knew  this  young  man  to  be 
a  reporter  on  the  local  paper,  in  the  quest  of  a 
sensation.  He  could  not  risk  an  effective  free 
advertisement  by  an  exhibition  of  niggardliness 
on  the  part  of  the  proprietors  of  the  circus. 

"Sure,"  he  said  importantly;  "our  people  spare 
no  expense  in  catering  to  the  great  show-going 
public.     They  spent  six  thousand  dollars  in  cag- 


THE  SUPERINTENDENTS  OPINION         95 

ing  the  famous  Calcutta  Tom,  the  wonder  of  the 
animal  universe,  and " 

"You  went  over  all  that  this  noon,"  said  Ralph, 
in  a  business-like  way.  "What  about  the  fifty 
dollars?" 

"Have  you  got  the  tiger?" 

"I  have,"  answered  Ralph  definitely. 

"Produce  him,  and  the  money  is  yours." 

"Very  good,"  nodded  Ralph,  tossing  down  the 
key  to  the  padlock  of  the  lower  door.  "You  will 
find  the  escaped  animal  downstairs  here." 

The  local  reporter  made  himself  unduly  active 
within  the  ensuing  thirty  minutes.  He  had  writ- 
ten up  Ralph  Fairbanks  once  before.  That  was 
when  the  young  railroader  had  acted  as  substitute 
fireman  during  the  big  fire  in  the  yards  at  Acton, 
as  already  related  in  "Ralph  of  the  Round- 
house." 

Ralph  had  proven  "good  copy"  in  that  instance. 
The  fact  of  his  having  the  escaped  animal  in  cus- 
tody, the  litter  of  glass  under  the  tower  windows, 
some  vague  remarks  of  the  flagman  who  had  wit- 
nessed Ralph's  sensational  ascent  of  the  telegraph 
pole,  set  the  young  reporter  on  the  trail  of  a  first- 
class  story  in  a  very  few  minutes. 

The  circus  manager  and  his  assistants  soon  had 
Calcutta  Tom  in  fetters.  As  they  pulled  him  out 
into  daylight  the  manager  cuffed  and  kicked  him 


96  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

till  the  animal  slunk  along-,  spiritless  and  harmless 
as  some  antiquated  horse. 

He  drew  out  a  roll  of  bank  bills,  counted  out 
fifty  dollars,  made  sure  the  reporter  was  noticing 
the  act,  and  with  a  flourish  tossed  the  money  up  to 
Ralph. 

He  wrote  out  a  free  pass  to  the  show  for 
Stiggs,  slapping  him  on  the  shoulder  and  calling 
him  a  royal  good  fellow. 

"Don't  know  if  the  railroad  company  can  spare 
me,"  said  Stiggs,  shaking  his  head  slowly. 

"Come  up  here,  Mr.  Stiggs,"  said  Ralph. 

Jack  Knight  came  along  from  the  limits  tower 
just  then.  He  was  halted  by  the  reporter. 
Stiggs  joined  Ralph  a  few  minutes  later. 

"I  want  to  tell  you,  Mr.  Stiggs,  about  this  fifty 
dollars'  reward  from  the  circus  people,"  began 
Ralph. 

"Yes,  glad  you  got  it,  Fairbanks,"  said  Stiggs 
heartily.  "If  it  wasn't  for  you  I  wouldn't  have 
got  the  tobacco." 

"Well,  I  want  you  to  tell  Mrs.  Stiggs  when  you 
go  home  that  I've  got  twenty-five  dollars  for  her," 
went  on  Ralph. 

"My !  that's  a  lot  of  money,"  exclaimed  the  old 
railroad  pensioner,  opening  wide  his  eyes.  "Say, 
Fairbanks,  that  would  stock  me  up  with  tobacco 
for  the  rest  of  my  life!" 


THE  SUPERINTENDENT'S  OPINION         97 

Knight  came  through  the  trap,  the  local  re- 
porter at  his  heels. 

''What's  been  going  on  here?"  demanded  the 
veteran  towerman,  with  a  glance  at  the  broken 
window  panes. 

Ralph  glanced  at  the  reporter.  That  indi- 
vidual had  a  paper  tab  in  his  hand  all  covered  with 
notes,  and  looked  eager  and  expectant. 

''If  our  friend  here  will  excuse  our  attention 
to  railroad  business  strictly,  I  will  try  to  tell  you," 
said  Ralph. 

''Certainly,"  nodded  the  reporter,  but  disap- 
pointedly, as  Ralph  took  Knight  to  the  end  of  the 
room  and  a  low-toned  conversation  ensued. 

The  same  was  interspersed  with  sensational, 
startling  ejaculations  of  wild  excitement,  such 
a  vivid  play  of  interest  and  wonder  on  the 
part  of  old  Jack,  that  the  reporter  wriggled  in  a 
kind  of  professional  torment.  He  knew  that 
Ralph  must  have  a  graphic  story  to  relate. 

"Mr.  Fairbanks,"  he  said  anxiously,  as  the  two 
terminated  their  conversation,  "T  hope  you  will 
give  me  a  brief  interview." 

"Really,  I  couldn't  think  of  it,"  answered 
Ralph,  with  a  genial  smile.  "A  tiger  escaped 
from  the  circus  and  hid  in  the  switch  tower. 
That's  about  the  facts  of  the  case." 

"You're  a  deal  too  modest,"  snorted  old  JacL 


98  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"You  see,  he's  a  stickler  for  railroad  ethics/'  he 
explained  to  the  reporter.  "Well,  that's  all  right 
in  a  young  man,  for  the  company  usually  want  to 
give  out  their  own  reports  to  the  press.  In  this 
instance,  though,  I  don't  think  they  will  hold  back 
the  credit  young  Fairbanks  deserves.  You  come 
with  me,  young  man,  and  as  soon  as  I  report  to 
the  superintendent,  I  think  you  can  get  the  facts 
for  the  liveliest  railroad  sensation  you  have  had  in 
Stanley  Junction  for  many  a  long  day." 

Ralph  had  no  right  to  interfere  with  this  ar- 
rangement. 

Knight  came  back  in  thirty  minutes,  chuckling 
gleesomely. 

"Shake,  old  man !"  he  called  out,  grasping 
Ralph's  hand  with  a  switch-lever  clutch  that 
would  have  made  his  assistant  wince  a  week  back. 
"I  guaranteed  you  to  the  company  when  they  put 
you  on  here.  The  man  with  the  iron  mask  just 
thanked  me  for  it.  Thanked  me  for  it,  just  think 
of  it — and  smiled  !" 

"Who  is  the  man  with  the  iron  mask?"  asked 
Ralph  innocently. 

"The  superintendent,  of  course.  Ever  see 
him?  Well,  they  say  he  was  born  with  a  frown 
on  his  face,  called  down  his  father  and  mother 
when  he  was  six  months  old,  and  spent  ten  years 
at  a  special  actors'  school  where  they  learn  the 


THE  SUPERINTENDENT'S  OPINION         99 

ebony  glare,  the  tones  that  chill  a  fellow,  and  that 
grand  stern  air  that  makes  a  railroad  employee 
shake  in  his  boots  when  the  superintendent  passes 
by." 

"Why,  I  have  found  him  rather  dignified,  but 
a  thoroughly  just  and  genial  gentleman,"  said 
Ralph. 

"Thank  you,  Fairbanks!"  interrupted  a  voice 
that  made  the  two  friends  start,  and  the  head  of 
the  superintendent  of  the  Great  Northern  came 
up  through  the  trap.  "Quite  a  word-painter, 
Mr.  Knight!"  he  continued,  glancing  at  old  Jack 
with  a  grim  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

"Ah,  overheard  me,  did  you?"  retorted  Knight, 
never  abashed  at  anything.  "You  didn't  wait 
till  I  got  through.  I  was  going  to  add,  for  the 
benefit  of  our  young  friend  here,  that  all  the 
qualities  I  was  describing  have  made  you  the  most 
consistent,  thoroughgoing  railroader  in  the  coun- 
try, that  back  of  the  mask  were  more  pensions  to 
deserving  disabled  employees  than  the  law  al- 
lowed, and  a  justice  and  respect  for  loyal  sub- 
ordinates that  made  you  an  honorary  member  of 
our  union,  and  the  Great  Northern  the  finest  rail- 
way system  ever  perfected." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Knight !"  retorted  the  super- 
intendent, a  genuine  flush  of  pleasure  on  his  face. 
"'I  know  you  are  sincere,  so  you  will  join  me,  I  am 


100         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

certain,  in  telling  our  young  friend  that  the  risk 
he  took  to  save  the  special  this  day  entitled  him 
to  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of  his  employers  and 
associates." 

"Right  you  are,  sir!"  answered  Knight  em- 
phatically. "I'm  proud  of  Ralph  Fairbanks— 
and  so  are  you." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

SQUARING    THINGS 

Ralph  was  tremendously  pleased  at  the  praise 
of  the  superintendent  of  the  Great  Northern.  He 
started  for  home,  his  work  through  with  for  the 
day,  feeling  that  life  was  very  much  worth  living. 

He  lost  no  time  on  this  especial  occasion  in 
reaching  the  home  cottage.  He  wanted  to  share 
his  pleasure  with  his  devoted  mother. 

Ralph  found  the  front  door  locked.  He  had  a 
key  to  it  however,  let  himself  in,  and  was  wonder- 
ing at  this  unusual  absence  of  his  mother  at  a 
regular  meal  hour,  when  he  caught  sight  of  a 
folded  note  on  the  little  table  in  the  hall. 

"I  am  at  Mrs.  Davis'/'  his  mother's  note  ran. 
"She  is  not  very  well,  and  wishes  me  to  stay  with 
her  for  a  few  hours.  Please  call  for  me  at  her 
house  at  about  nine  o'clock." 

Entering  the  little  dining  room,  Ralph  found 
the  table  all  set.  He  proceeded  to  the  kitchen, 
and  discovered  under  covers  on  a  slow  fire  his 
meal  ready  to  be  served. 

"Always  kind  and  thoughtful,"  he  reflected 
101 


102         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

gratefully,  as  he  sat  down  to  his  solitary  repast. 
"Nine  o'clock,  eh  ?  That  gives  me  time  to  attend 
to  some  pressing  duties.  Perhaps  Airs.  Davis 
may  have  something  to  say  about  those  bonds." 

Ralph's  mother  had  done  her  duty  in  seeing  to 
it  that  he  was  not  put  out  by  her  absence.  He 
now  proceeded  to  do  his  by  clearing  up  the  table 
and  washing  the  dishes.  He  had  everything  in 
order  before  he  left  the  house. 

He  sauntered  downtown,  changed  a  twenty* 
dollar  bill  that  was  among  those  the  circus  man- 
ager had  given  him,  and  started  down  a  humble 
side  street. 

In  about  ten  minutes  Ralph  reached  the  Stiggs 
home.  It  was  a  small  one-story  structure,  but 
comfortable-looking  and  well-kept. 

In  the  garden  was  a  small  summerhouse.  A 
spark  of  light  directed  Ralph  thither.  It  ap- 
peared that  Stiggs  was  banished  from  the  house 
while  using  his  favorite  weed.  This  was  his 
"smokery." 

Before  Ralph  could  announce  his  presence, 
someone  spoke  from  an  open  window  of  the 
house. 

"John  Jacob  Stiggs — smoke!  smoke!  smoke!" 
proclaimed  a  high-pitched  voice-.  "I  should 
think  you'd  be  ashamed — at  it  all  the  time.  If 
you  are  so  valuable  to  your  railroad  cronies  WhV 


SQUARING  THIXGS  103 

don't  you  bring-  home  a  chicken,  or  a  water- 
melon, or  a  bag  of  potatoes  once  in  a  while,  in- 
stead of  your  perpetual  'plug  cut/  and  'cut  loaf,' 
and  "killmequick'  ?  Oh,  dear !  dear !  you  are  such 
a  trial." 

"That's  so — never  thought  of  that,"  responded 
Stiggs  from  his  snuggery,  in  his  usual  quiet  way. 
''But,  my  dear,  something  is  coming.  Some 
money — you  know  I  told  you." 

"Nonsense!"  retorted  Mrs.  Stiggs  violently. 
"They  stuff  you  full  of  all  kinds  of  stories.  Last 
week  you  said  they  were  going  to  make  you  mas- 
ter mechanic." 

"I  declined  it !  I  declined  it !"  answered  Stiggs 
in  quick  trepidation.  "The  responsibility  of  the 
position — think  of  it,  my  dear!" 

"Well,  I  suppose  you're  my  cross,"  sighed  his 
helpmate  patiently.  "Only,  don't  get  a  woman's 
hopes  all  alive  with  your  story  of  five  dollars  com- 
ing, and  a  new  shawl  for  me." 

"Ten,  my  dear,"  interrupted  Stiggs.  "I've 
quite  forgotten  the  amount,  but  I  am  sure  it  was 
more  than  five.  You  see,  I  helped  catch  a 
tiger " 

"John  Jacob  Stiggs !"  cried  his  wife  severely, 
"you'd  better  keep  those  wild  notions  out  of  your 
head.  Tigers !  Who  ever  saw  a  tiger  in  Stanley 
Junction?"  she  sniffed  disdainfully. 


104         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Why,  I  did,  Mrs.  Stiggs,"  broke  in  Ralph, 
stepping  to  the  window  with  a  pleasant  smile,  and 
lifting  his  cap  politely.  "It  escaped  from  the 
circus  now  in  town.  Your  husband  helped  me 
get  it  into  the  hands  of  the  show  people,  they 
paid  us  fifty  dollars'  reward  for  our  services,  anc* 
half  of  it  belongs  to  Mr.  Stiggs.  There  is  hi? 
share,  madam." 

"Laws-a-mercy !"  cried  the  astounded  woman, 
as  the  crisp  green  bills  were  placed  on  the  window 
ledge.      "You  don't  mean " 


"Twenty-five  dollars,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"His?  mine?  ours?" 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Stiggs.  You  can  have  a  famous 
new  shawl  now,  can't  you,  madam?" 

"Oh,  come  in.  Oh,  dear!  dear!  it  don't  seem 
real." 

Ralph  stepped  around  to  the  door  and  entered 
the  little  sitting  room.  Mrs.  Stiggs  could  not 
keep  still  for  excitement.  She  was  laughing  and 
crying  by  turns. 

Old  Stiggs  followed  after  Ralph  in  a  kind  of 
dumb  amazement,  and  stood  staring  at  the  bank- 
notes in  his  wife's  hand.  She  chanced  to  ob- 
serve him.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life,  it 
seemed,  her  husband  had  ventured  inside  the 
house  smoking  his  despised  tobacco. 

"John — Jacob — Stiggs!"  she  screamed. 


SQUARING  THINGS  105 

"Oh — my!"  gasped  the  horrified  culprit. 

The  lighted  pipe  dropped  from  his  mouth,  and 
be  bolted  out  of  doors  as  if  shot  from  a  cannon. 

Mrs,  Stiggs  was  profuse  in  her  thanks.  She 
got  more  coherent,  and  poured  out  her  little  trou- 
bles to  Ralph,  who  was  a  sympathetic  listener. 
He  gave  her  some  advice,  and  his  heart  warmed 
as  he  finally  left  the  house,  happy  in  the  conscious- 
ness that  he  had  bestowed  some  pleasure  and 
benefit  where  he  felt  sure  they  were  fully  de- 
served. 

"Anybody  but  mother  would  call  me  a  chump 
for  what  I've  got  to  do  next,"  he  mused,  as  he 
proceeded  briskly  in  the  direction  of  lower  Rail- 
road Street,  "but  I've  got  the  impulse,  and  it  looks 
clear  to  me  that  I'm  doing  the  right  thing  all 
around." 

Ralph  proceeded  past  the  long  line  of  poor 
buildings  just  back  of  the  depot  tracks.  He 
looked  into  the  restaurant  where  he  had  found 
Mort  Bemis  and  Young  Slavin  some  evenings 
previous. 

They  were  not  in  evidence  now,  however,  at 
this  or  other  places  he  inspected.  Ralph  made 
inquiries  of  some  "extras,"  who  had  a  good  deal 
of  spare  time,  and  were  likely  to  know  the  deni- 
zens of  Railroad  Row. 

No  one  could  tell  him  of  the  whereabouts  of  the 


106         RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

persons  he  sought,  until  he  met  a  young  urchin 
whom  he  questioned. 

"Slavin?"  pronounced  the  precious  street  arab. 
"Champeen?     He's  at  Murphy's  shed." 

A  man  named  Murphy  ran  a  cheap  ice  cream 
place  further  down  the  street,  Ralph  remembered. 
The  shed  he  also  recalled  as  a  loafing  place  for 
juvenile  road  hands  around  the  noon  and  evening 
hours. 

It  was  a  great  open  structure  where  express- 
men stored  their  wagons  for  shelter.  Ralph 
reached  its  proximity  in  a  few  minutes.  He 
glanced  around  the  open  end  of  the  place. 

Three  or  four  boys  were  squatted  on  the 
ground.  Two  of  them  had  a  coat  and  a  vest,  on 
which  they  were  clumsily  sewing.  Near  by, 
wrapped  in  an  old  horse-blanket,  seated  on  a  box, 
his  eyes  fixed  gloomily  on  the  ground,  was  the 
object  of  Ralph's  visit — Young  Slavin. 

Ralph  went  forward  at  once.  Two  of  the 
group  sprang  to  their  feet,  startled.  Young 
Slavin,  looking  spiritless  and  cowed,  craned  his 
bull  neck  in  silent  wonder  and  uncertainty. 

"Mr.  Slavin,''  spoke  Ralph  promptly,  "I  have 
been  trying  to  find  you." 

"What  for?"  mumbled  Slavin  in  a  muffled 
tone.  "I'm  ripped  up  the  back.  Out  of  train- 
ing— see  you  later," 


SQUARIXG  THINGS  10T 

"Oh,  I  haven't  come  to  fight/'  Ralph  assured 
him.  "It  is  this  way :  I  saw  you  meet  with  an  un- 
fortunate accident  this  afternoon." 

"If  you  mean  you  made  rags  of  the  only  suit 
of  clothes  I've  got,  it's  correct,"  admitted  Slavin 
dejectedly. 

"Well,  I  warned  you,  but  you  would  rush  on 
your  fate,"  said  Ralph.  "Pretty  badly  used  up, 
are  they?'' 

"Are  they?"  snorted  Slavin  bitterly.  "They 
were  ripped  from  stem  to  stem.  And  what's 
worse — look  at  them  now!" 

Ralph  could  scarcely  keep  from  laughing  out- 
right. One  of  the  amateur  tailors  had  essayed 
to  mend  Slavin's  trousers. 

He  had  taken  up  a  seam  four  inches  wide.  In 
pursuing  the  seam,  he  had  sewed  it  into  bunches, 
knobs,  and  fissures.  One  leg  was  shorter  than 
the  other,  and  stood  out  at  an  angle  from  the 
knee  down. 

"No,  that  won't  do  at  all,"  said  Ralph  gravely. 
"I  felt  sorry  for  you,  Slavin.  As  I  warned  you, 
that  tiger  was  in  the  switch  tower.  I  got  a  re- 
ward for  telling  the  circus  people  where  it  was, 
and  I  think  it  is  only  fair  that  they  pay  for  the 
damage  the  animal  did.  They  advertise  a  good 
eight-dollar  suit  down  at  the  Grand  Leader.  Go 
and  get  one.     That  squares  it,  doesn't  it?" 


108         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ralph  extended  a  ten-dollar  bill  to  Slavin. 
The  eyes  of  his  engrossed  companions  snapped  at 
the  sight  of  so  much  money.  As  for  Slavin  him- 
self, he  stared  at  the  bill  and  then  at  Ralph  in 
stupid  wonder. 

"Take  it,"  urged  Ralph. 

"Mine?"  gulped  Slavin  slowly. 

"Of  course  it's  yours." 

"You  give  it?" 

"Why  not?  I  collected  damages  from  the 
circus  people — that's  your  share." 

Slavin's  fingers  trembled  as  he  took  the  prof- 
fered banknote.  He  wriggled  restively,  looked 
up,  and  then  looked  down. 

"Say,"  he  spoke  hoarsely  at  last,  "your  name  is 
Fairbanks." 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"A  good  name,  and  you're  a  good  sort.  I 
jumped  on  you  wrong  the  other  night,  and  I  want 
to  say  it  right  here.  I  thought  Mort  Bemis  was 
my  friend.  This  afternoon  he  took  up  with  a 
fellow  named  Slump,  broke  open  my  trunk,  stole 
two  of  my  silver  medals,  and  sloped.  That's  what 
I  got  for  being  his  friend.  Xow  you  come  and 
do  me  a  good  turn.  I'm  not  your  kind,  and  we 
can't  ever  mix  probably,  but  if  ever  you  want  any- 
one hammered,  I'll  be  there.  See?  I'm — I'm 
obliged  to  you,   Fairbanks.     You've  taught  me 


SQUARING  THINGS  109 

something.  There's  something  better  in  the 
world  than  muscle — and  you've  got  it." 

When  Ralph  left  the  old  shed,  he  was  pretty 
certain  that  he  had  made  a  new  friend.  He  had, 
too,  won  the  respect  of  the  little  coterie  who  had 
seen  the  terrible  "champeen"  eat  humble  pie  be- 
fore a  fellow  half  his  size. 

Ralph  went  to  a  millinery  store  next.  The 
Saturday  evening  before  he  had  accompanied  his 
mother  on  her  shopping  tour.  She  had  admired 
a  hat  in  a  show-window,  but  had  said  she  could 
not  spare  the  money  for  it  just  then. 

Ralph  proudly  walked  home  with  the  self-same 
hat  in  a  band-box. 

"I  have  made  quite  a  hole  in  that  fifty  dollars," 
he  mused,  as  he  left  the  band-box  at  the  home  cot- 
tage, and  started  for  Mrs.  Davis'  house.  "I 
wonder  if  I  would  be  as  extravagant  on  a  bigger 
scale,  if  we  should  be  fortunate  enough  to  get 
back  those  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  rail- 
road bonds  ?" 


CHAPTER  XIV 

A    BUSY  EVENING 

The  nearest  cut  to  the  house  where  Mrs.  Davis 
lived  was  along  a  sort  of  a  ravine,  and  Ralph 
pursued  this  route.  It  was  the  shortest,  and  it 
was  here  that  the  switch  spur  was  to  run  up  to 
Gasper  Farrington's  old  factory. 

Ralph  was  interested  in  this  as  a  railroader. 
The  work  of  grading  had  already  commenced. 
It  was  not  to  be  a  very  particular  job,  as  the  serv- 
ice would  be  only  occasional.  The  company  was 
using  old  rails  and  second-hand  ties. 

There  was  a  natural  rock  shelf  on  the  north 
side  of  the  ravine.  This  the  roadbed  would  fol- 
low. There  were  several  sharp  grades,  but  there 
would  be  no  heavy  traffic.  The  entire  factory 
output,  which  was  in  the  furniture  line,  would  not 
exceed  a  carload  a  day. 

Mrs.  Davis'  home  stood  back  from  the  ravine 
about  a  hundred  feet.  It  was  some  three  hun- 
dred yards  from  the  factory  building.  Between 
it  and  the  latter  structure  was  a  low  two-story 
house,   very  old  and   dilapidated.      Ralph   won- 


A  BUSY  EVENING  HI 

dered  if  this  was  the  spot  which  Farrington  had 
said  he  would  appropriate,  law  or  no  law,  as  the 
connecting  link  in  his  right  of  way. 

"Mr.  Farrington  may  well  look  out  for 
wrecks/'  soliloquized  Ralph,  as  he  passed  along 
the  ravine.  "The  freight  business  from  the  fac- 
tory is  not  worth  enough  for  the  company  to  put 
in  a  first-class  roadbed.  A  poor  one  means  dan- 
ger. They  will  have  to  go  slow  on  some  of  those 
mean  curves  and  crooked  grades,  if  they  want  to 
avoid  trouble."' 

Ralph  turned  from  the  ravine  as  he  caught  the 
gleam  of  a  light  in  the  house  he  knew  to  be  occu- 
pied by  the  mysterious  Mrs.  Davis. 

It  was  a  desolate  place,  and  he  felt  sorry  for 
anyone  compelled  to  live  so  remote  from  neigh- 
bors. He  felt  glad,  however,  that  the  lonely 
widow  had  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  a  friend  in 
his  mother. 

Mrs.  Davis  had  proven  her  honesty  by  wishing 
to  repay  him  the  ten-dollar  loan.  Ralph  in  a  way 
counted  that  evening  on  some  intimation  concern- 
ing the  twenty  thousand  dollars  railroad  bonds. 
He  was  naturally  wrought  up  and  anxious  over 
this  particular  phase  of  the  situation. 

The  house  did  not  front  on  the  ravine.  In  ap- 
proaching it.  Ralph  came  up  to  its  side  first.  The 
light  that  had  guided  him  was  in  a  middle  room. 


)12         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Its  window  was  open  and  the  shade  was  lowered, 
but  the  breeze  blew  it  back  every  little  while. 

It  was  a  bright  moonlight  night.  Ralph  could 
make  out  the  house  and  its  surroundings  as  plain 
as  day.  As  he  walked  beside  a  hedge  of  high 
alders,  he  paused  with  a  start. 

Someone  stood  directly  beside  the  open  win- 
dow where  the  light  was.  The  house  shadowed 
him,  but  even  at  a  distance  Ralph  could  see  that 
the  lurker  was  a  boy  about  his  own  height. 

This  person  stood  with  his  face  to  the  window. 
Every  time  the  breeze  moved  the  curtain,  he 
bobbed  about  actively.  He  craned  his  neck,  and 
made  all  kinds  of  efforts  to  look  into  the  room. 

"Why,"  said  Ralph  indignantly,  "it  is  some- 
one spying!" 

The  breeze  freshening,  the  curtain  was  just 
then  blown  on  a  forty-five  degree  slant.  A  per- 
fectly plain  view  of  the  room  and  its  inmates  was 
momentarily  shown. 

Even  at  a  distance  Ralph  could  make  out  Mrs. 
Davis  propped  up  in  a  chair  with  pillows,  and  his 
mother  seated  near  by. 

The  lurker  at  the  window  was  taking  a  good 
clear  look.  He  suddenly  whipped  a  card  out  of 
his  pocket.  He  glanced  at  it  quickly,  then  inside 
the  room  again.  The  breeze  let  down,  and  the 
curtain  dropped  plumb  once  more. 


A  BUSY  EVENING  113 

Ralph  made  an  impetuous  run  for  the  window. 
He  came  up  to  the  lurker,  grabbed  his  arm,  and 
still  at  full  momentum  ran  him  twenty  feet  along 
from  the  window.  He  did  not  wish  to  startle 
the  inmates  of  the  house.  The  astonished  boy 
he  had  seized  Ralph  landed  against  the  side  of  a 
summerhouse.  He  never  let  go  of  him.  His 
prisoner  wriggled  in  his  grasp. 

"Hey,  what's  this?"  he  began. 

"Who  are  you  and  what  are  you  up  to  ?"  chal- 
lenged Ralph  sharply.  "What !"  he  cried,  loosen- 
ing his  hold  in  stupefaction.  "Van — Van  Slier- 
win !" 

"Hello!"  muttered  his  companion,  now  faced 
squarely  about,  and  staring  in  turn.  "It  is  you, 
Fairbanks?  Well,  that's  natural,  seeing  your 
mother  is  here,  but  you  took  me  off  my  feet  so 
sudden.  Shake.  You  don't  seem  glad  to  see  me 
one  bit,  although  it's  an  age  since  I  met  you  last. 
How  goes  it?" 

Ralph  shook  the  hand  affectionately  extended. 
It  was  not  the  hearty  greeting,  however,  he  usu- 
ally awarded  to  this  his  warmest  boy  friend. 
Ralph  looked  grave,  uncertain,  and  disappointed. 

Of  all  the  chums  he  had  ever  known,  Van 
Sherwin  had  come  into  his  life  in  a  way  that  had 
appealed  strongly  to  every  friendly  sentiment. 
Deprived  of  reason  temporarily  through  a  blow 


114  RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

from  a  baseball,  and  practically  adopted  by  the 
Fairbanks  family,  Van's  gentle,  lovable  ways  had 
charmed  them.  When  he  recovered  his  reason 
and  was  the  means  of  introducing  Ralph  to  Far- 
well  Gibson,  Van  was  cherished  like  a  brother  by 
Ralph. 

Less  than  two  weeks  previous  Van  had  gone 
back  to  the  wilderness  stretch  beyond  Springfield, 
where  Gibson  was  keeping  his  railroad  cut-off 
charter  alive  by  grading  the  roadbed  so  much  each 
day,  as  required  by  law. 

Through  Gibson  Ralph  had  got  the  informa- 
tion that  enabled  them  to  prove  Gasper  Farring- 
ton's  mortgage  on  their  home  a  fraud.  Natu- 
rally he  felt  thankful  to  the  queer  old  hermit  who 
was  working  out  an  idea  amid  Crusoe-like  soli- 
tude. 

As  to  Van, — mother  and  son  made  him  a  daily 
topic  of  conversation.  They  had  longed  for  a 
visit  from  the  strange,  wild  lad  who  had  un- 
consciously brought  so  much  good  into  their 
lives. 

Now  Van  had  appeared,  yet  a  vague  distrust 
and  disappointment  chilled  the  warmth  of  Ralph's 
reception.  Van  had  always  been  frank,  open- 
minded,  aboveboard.  Ralph  had  just  discovered 
him  apparently  engaged  in  eavesdropping. 

Thinking  all  this  over,  Ralph  stood  grim  and 


A  BUSY  EVENING  115 

silent  as  a  statue   for  the  space  of  nearly  two 
minutes. 

"Hey!"  challenged  Van  suddenly,  giving  his 
arm  a  vigorous  shake.  "Are  you  dreaming, 
Ralph  ?" 

Ralph  roused  himself.  He  determined  to  clear 
the  situation,  if  it  could  be  cleared. 

"Van,"  he  said  definitely,  ''what  were  you  doing 
at  that  window  ?" 

"'Why,  didn't  you  see — looking  in." 

"I  know  you  was.  In  other  words,  spying. 
Oh,  Van — spying  on  my  mother !" 

Van  Sherwin's  eyes  flashed.  In  a  trice  he 
had  whipped  off  his  coat.  His  fists  doubled  up. 
He  advanced  on  Ralph,  his  voice  shaking  with  an 
angry  sob. 

"Take  that  back,  Ralph  Fairbanks !"  he  cried. 
"Do  it  quick,  or  you've  got  to  lick  me.  Me  spy 
on  your  mother?  Why,  she's  pretty  near  my 
mother,  too — the  only  one  I  ever  remember." 

"But  I  saw  you  lurking  at  that  window,"  said 
Ralph,  a  good  deal  taken  aback  by  Van's  violent 
demonstration. 

"Lurking,  eh?"  repeated  Van  sarcastically. 
"I'm  a  lurker,  am  I?  And  a  spy?  Why  don't 
you  call  me  a  bravo — and  a  brigand  ?  Humph — 
you  chump!" 

The  impulsive  fellow  shrugged  his  shoulders 


116  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

in  such  a  pitying,  indulgent  way  that  Ralph  was 
fairly  nettled. 

"I  won't  fight  you,"  declared  Van,  putting  on 
his  coat  again.  "You  think  so  much  of  your 
mother  that  I'll  forgive  you.  But  I  think  a  lot 
of  her,  too,  as  you  well  know,  and,  knowing  it, 
you  ought  to  have  thought  twice  before  you — yes, 
imputed  to  me  any  action  that  could  do  her  any 
harm." 

"You're  right.  Van,"  said  Ralph,  grasping  both 
hands  of  his  eccentric  chum,  heartily  enough  this 
time.  "I  am  so  strung  up,  though,  with  things 
happening,  and  so  much  suspicion  and  mystery  in 
the  air,  that  I'm  jumping  to  all  kinds  of  conclu- 
sions helter-skelter.     I  hate  mystery,  you  know." 

"Sit  down,"  said  Van,  moving  around  to  the 
door  of  the  dismantled  summerhouse,  and  drop- 
ping to  its  worm-eaten  seat.  "I  want  to  tell  you 
something.  I  wasn't  looking  in  that  window  ex- 
pecting to  see  your  mother." 

"No?" 

"Not  at  all." 

"Then  it  must  have  been  Mrs.  Davis,  the 
woman  who  lives  there." 

"Is  that  her  name?"  inquired  Van,  with  a 
shrewd  smile. 

"She  says  it  is." 
.     "You  know  her,  then  ?     Well,  I  don't,  Ralph. 


A  BUSY  EVENING  UJ 

Never  sa^v  her  before.  Yet,  I've  traveled  a  long 
distance  to  get  a  look  at  her.  See  here — can  you 
make  it  out?'' 

Van  took  from  his  pocket  the  card  Ralph  had 
seen  him  consult  at  the  window.  Ralph  held  it 
up  to  the  moonlight. 

It  was  an  old-fashioned  card  photograph. 
Judging  from  its  yellow,  faded  appearance,  it 
seemed  taken  in  another  generation.  It  presented 
the  face  of  a  woman  of  about  thirty  years  of 
age. 

Ralph  scanned  this  with  a  certain  token  of 
recognition. 

"This  picture  resembles  Mrs.  Davis,''  he  said. 

"Think  so?"  asked  Van.  "I  know  it  does. 
It's  meant  for  the  lady  in  that  room  yonder — 
when  she  was  younger,  though." 

"How  do  you  come  by  it?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"It's  a  secret  for  the  present,  but  I  don't  mind 
telling  you.  A  friend — a  long  distance  away — ■ 
asked  me  to  locate  the  original  of  that  picture. 
Somehow  he  got  a  clew  to  the  fact  that  she  was 
living  in  this  district." 

"Yes,  she  came  to  Stanley  Junction  recently." 

"Anyhow,  I  followed  out  directions,"  narrated 
Van.  "I've  done  what  I  came  for.  The  woman 
lives  in  that  house  yonder.  I  must  go  back  and 
inform  my  friend." 


118         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

''Not  right  away.  Mother  will  want  to  see 
you.  Van." 

Van    shook   his   head    resolutely. 

"I'll  be  back  again  soon,  Ralph,"  he  promised. 
"I  wish  I  could  tell  you  more,  but  it's  not  my 
business.'' 

"That's  all  right.  Van.  I  don't  want  to  pry 
into  your  secrets." 

Van  restored  the  picture  to  his  pocket.  He 
sighed  with  a  glance  at  the  house,  as  if  it  would 
indeed  be  a  pleasure  to  have  a  chat  with  his 
adopted  mother,  Mrs.  Fairbanks 

''Oh,  Ralph!"  he  said  sudd-tdy,  checking  him- 
self as  he  was  about  to  move  away — "have  you 
ever  heard  anything  more  about  those  twenty 
thousand  dollars  railroad  bonds?" 

"Have  I?"  spoke  Ralph  animately;  "I  seem  to 
be  hearing  about  them  every  step  I  take,  lately !" 

"Is  that  so?" 

"Yes,  but  always  in  a  vague,  unsatisfactory 
way.  What  made  you  ask  that  question.  Van?" 
inquired  Ralph,  with  a  keen  glance  at  his  com- 
panion. 

"Oh,  nothing,"  declared  Van  carelessly.  "I 
was  just  thinking,  that's  all.  You  see,  Mr.  Gib- 
son is  a  rare,  good  fellow." 

"He  did  me  some  rare,  good  service — I  know 
that,"  said  Ralph  warmly. 


A  BUSY  EVENING  \\Q 

"Well,  he's  pegging  away  at  that  railroad  of 
his,  wasting  valuable  time.  He  don't  dare  to 
leave  it,  because  he  might  vi — vi — bother  the 
word — oh,  yes !  vitiate  his  legal  rights.  He  told 
me,  though,  that  if  he  could  get  someone  to  put 
up  a  few  thousand  dollars  so  he  could  hire  help, 
he  would  go  to  some  big  city  and  interest  capital 
and  rush  the  road  through.'' 

"I  will  bear  that  in  mind,"  said  Ralph  thought- 
fully. "I  believe  he  has  the  nucleus  of  a  big 
speculation.  There  are  rich  men  in  Stanley  Junc- 
tion who  might  be  induced  to  help  him." 

"Suppose  you  got  those  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars bonds,  Ralph,"  said  Van  suddenly.  "Would 
you  be  inclined  to  invest?" 

"I  would  feel  it  a  duty,  Van,"  responded  Ralph 
promptly.  "I  believe  my  mother  would,  too. 
You  will  remember  that  if  it  was  not  for  Mr. 
Gibson,  we  would  probably  be  without  a  home 
to-day." 

"You're  a  good  fellow,  Ralph  Fairbanks !" 
cried  Van,  slapping  his  chum  heartily  on  the 
shoulder.  "I  knew  you'd  say  that.  And  say — 
I  guess  you're  going  to  hear  something  about 
those  bonds,  soon." 

"The  air  seems  full  of  those  bonds !"  half 
smiled  Ralph.  "I  wish  something  besides 
shadows  would  materialize,  thousrh." 


120         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ralph  felt  that  Van  was  keeping  something 
back — certainly  about  the  person  so  interested  in 
the  mysterious  Mrs.  Davis,  possibly  in  reference 
to  the  railroad  bonds,  as  well. 

Before  he  could  express  himself  further.  Van 
grabbed  his  sleeve  and  pulled  him  into  the  shelter 
of  the  summerhouse  with  a  quick  warning: 

"S-sh!" 

"What  is  it,  Van?"  inquired  Ralph  in  surprise. 

"Speak  low,  look  sharp!"  whispered  Van, 
pointing  through  the  interstices  of  the  trellis  in 
the  direction  of  the  house.  "You  hate  mystery, 
you  say.    Then  how  does  that  strike  you?" 

"Why,"  exclaimed  Ralph,  after  a  steadfast 
glance  in  the  direction  indicated — "it  is  Gasper 
F^rrington !" 


CHAPTER  XV 

A    HERO    DESPITE    HIMSELF 

Ralph  did  not  have  to  look  twice  to  be  sure 
that  it  was  the  village  magnate  who  stood  just 
where  he  had  discovered  Van  Sherwin  a  few 
minutes  previous. 

Gasper  Farrington  was  stooping  stealthily 
under  the  open  window.  He  did  not  seem  to  care 
so  much  to  see  who  was  inside.  Perhaps  he  had 
already  seen.  His  whole  attitude  showed  that 
he  was  listening  intently. 

Ralph  disliked  Farrington.  He  had  reason 
for  the  sentiment.  He  could  not  recall  one 
gracious  action  on  the  part  of  the  miserly  old  man 
in  all  the  years  he  had  known  him. 

His  present  occupation,  that  of  an  eaves- 
dropper, was  so  expected  and  characteristic  of 
Farrington,  that  Ralph's  indignation  was  less 
than  his  contempt. 

"What  is  he  after  here?"  reflected  Ralph;  "no 
good,  of  course.  Mrs.  Davis  knows  him  and 
fears  him,  it  seems.      He  is  going." 

Before  Ralph  could  make  up  his  mind  to  any 

121 


122         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

definite  course  of  action,  Farrington,  after  a 
meditative  pause,  slunk  from  under  the  window. 
Then  lie  disappeared  briskly  around  the  corner 
of  the  house. 

Ralph  ran  softly  after  him  and  peered  around 
the  end  of  the  structure.  He  saw  Farrington 
headed  for  town,  across  lots  to  the  nearest  high- 
way. 

Ralph  came  back  to  the  old  summer  house  to 
find  Van  gone.  He  looked  for  him,  even  tried 
a  whistle  signal  both  understood,  but  obtained  no 
response. 

"It's  all  a  queer  affair,''  mused  Ralph.  ''Mrs. 
Davis  seems  to  be  a  great  center  of  interest  just 
at  present.  Perhaps  she  has  told  mother  some- 
thing that  explains  matters." 

Ralph  was  doomed  to  disappointment  in  this 
hope.  When  he  knocked  at  the  door  of  the 
Davis  home,  his  mother  answered  the  summons. 

"Mrs.  Davis  is  resting  nicely,"  she  whispered. 
"It  would  only  excite  her  to  see  you  to-night. 
Just  wait  outside,  and  I  will  slip  away  and  join 
you  in  a  few  minutes." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  soon  on  the  way  home- 
ward with  Ralph.  She  explained  that  Mrs. 
Davis  was  quite  unwell  and  nervous.  She  had 
stayed  with  her  and  nursed  her,  and  left  her  com- 
fortable for  the  niffht. 


A  HERO  DESPITE  HIMSELF  123 

"She  gave  me  the  ten  dollars  for  you,  Ralph," 
said  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  "but  she  said  very  little 
about  the  bonds.  I  have  an  idea  that  she  knows 
something  about  them,  and  I  think  she  has  been 
writing  to  Gasper  Farrington.  The  last  thing 
she  said  as  I  left  her,  was  for  both  of  us  to  come 
to  see  her  to-morrow  night.  She  said  she  would 
get  something  in  the  meantime  she  had  placed 
with  a  friend  to  show  us,  in  which  we  would  both 
be  interested." 

Ralph  said  nothing  to  his  mother  about  meet- 
ing Van,  nor  did  he  mention  Farrington's  visit 
to  the  Davis  home.  He  did  not  wish  to  worry 
his  mother,  and  he  hoped  that  another  twenty- 
four  hours  might  somewhat  clear  the  situation. 

Of  course  Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  more  than 
pleased  over  her  present  of  the  new  hat.  Her 
son's  recital  of  the  tiger  episode  frightened  and 
thrilled  her  by  turns. 

Ralph  did  a  good  deal  of  thinking  after  getting 
to  bed.  He  wondered  if  Mrs.  Davis  was  up  to 
any  double-dealing.  Perhaps  she  knew  some- 
thing of  importance  about  the  bonds.  She  might 
have  come  to  Stanley  Junction  to  sell  her  secret 
to  Farrington.  Possibly  later  she  became  un- 
decided as  to  her  course,  her  accidental  meeting 
with  Ralph  moving  her  to  favor  him  in  the 
matter. 


124         RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ralph  guessed  that  no  one  but  Fanvell  Gibson 
could  have  sent  Van  to  Stanley  Junction.  Gibson 
had  been  mixed  up  in  the  matter  of  his  father's 
railroad  bonds,  years  back.  Was  there  some 
kind  of  a  three-cornered  complication,  in  which 
Farrington,  Gibson,  and  Mrs.  Davis  each  had  a 
share,  and  all  three  playing  at  cross-purposes? 

At  ten  o'clock  that  night  the  local  newspaper 
left  the  press,  weighted  with  the  biggest  sensation 
of  the  year,  but  Ralph  did  not  know  it. 

He  was  made  aware  of  it  next  morning,  how- 
ever, as  he  left  the  house.  Ned  Talcott,  an  old 
school  chum,  came  running  up  to  him  fluttering  a 
freshly-printed  sheet. 

"Did  you  see  it?  Did  you  really  do  all  that?" 
he  demanded,  in  breathless  excitement. 

"See  what — do  what?"'  inquired  Ralph. 

''Well,  just  run  your  eagle  eye  over  these  two 
front  columns!"  chuckled  Ralph's  ardent  admirer. 

"Oh,  dear!"  said  Ralph,  in  faint  stupefaction. 

The  ambitious  newspaper  reporter  had  dished 
up  a  wonderfully  graphic  and  interesting  story. 
He  did  not  seem  to  have  missed  a  point  in  the 
episode  of  the  escaped  circus  tiger. 

He  had  got  every  fact  about  the  special,  every 
detail  of  Ralph's  encounter  with  Calcutta  Tom, 
the  sensational  climb  of  the  telegraph  pole,  the 
swin^  of  the  lever  just  in  time.      He  even  touched 


A  HERO  DESPITE  HIMSELF  125 

on  the  accident  to  Young  Slavin,  Ralph's  be- 
nevolence to  that  enemy,  and  his  generous  division 
of  the  reward  with  the  Stiggses. 

"Whew !"  gasped  Ralph,  concluding  the  article 
with  a  whirling  head.  "Why,  if  I  wasn't  mad  at 
all  the  bosh  he  has  put  into  this  screed,  I  could 
laugh — it  is  simply  ridiculous !" 

All  the  same,  the  reporter  had  written  a  very 
entertaining  article.  It  was  the  "fancy  touches" 
that  seemed  preposterous  to  Ralph,  who  had  gone 
through  the  episode  practically. 

All  through  the  story  the  writer  held  the  ten- 
sion high  as  to  suspense  and  impending  peril.  He 
made  the  reader  fairly  see  the  glaring  eyeballs 
of  the  defiant  tiger.  He  almost  made  him  hear 
the  wild  beatings  of  the  heart  of  the  desperate 
but  intrepid  young  leverman. 

The  warning  shrieks  of  the  devoted  special  on 
the  verge  of  destruction,  the  nearing  hiss  and 
splutter  of  the  steam  jets,  the  thunderous  thunder 
of  the  grinding  wheels — all  these  were  the  thrill- 
ing concomitants  of  a  breathless  description.  It 
ended  in  the  crash  of  the  tower  window,  the  leap 
to  the  levers,  the  action  that  made  of  Ralph  Fair- 
banks the  hero  of  the  hour. 

The  grand  finale  was  a  pathetic  touch.  It  al- 
luded to  the  great  throbbing  heart  of  humanity 
always  electrically  responsive  to  such  appeals  a? 


126         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

that  involved  in  the  anxious  haste  of  the  dis- 
tressed railroad  president  to  reach  a  beloved  wife 
at  the  door  of  death. 

Three  people  whom  Ralph  knew  stopped  him 
to  congratulate  him  before  he  reached  the  depot 
yards. 

A  cheer  greeted  him  as  he  crossed  from  Rail- 
road Street  to  the  switch  tower.  It  came  from  a 
flag-shanty,  where  four  of  his  firemen  friends 
were  standing.  Two  of  them  waved  papers. 
Ralph  laughed  and  nodded  carelessly,  but  flushed 
with  pleasure. 

''There's  two  men  I  would  like  to  have  see 
that  article,"  spoke  old  Jack  Knight,  emphatically 
slapping  the  newspaper  in  his  lap  as  Ralph  came 
on  duty.  "One  is  the  master  mechanic.  The 
other  is  that  old  skeesicks,  Farrington." 

Ralph  was  embarrassed  by  further  congratula- 
tions all  through  the  morning.  He  had  a  pleas- 
ant day,  however.  The  praises  of  his  real 
friends  were  very  sweet,  and  the  sense  of  duty 
well  done  was  a  spur  to  his  noblest  ambitions. 

It  was  toward  five  o'clock  that  the  crowning 
episode  of  the  day  occurred.  Ralph  was  busy  at 
the  levers.  Knight  was  at  the  telephone,  as  the 
superintendent  came  up  the  trap  ladder. 

His  manner  to  both  these  valued  employees 
was  more  than  usually  genial. 


A  HERO  DESPITE  HIMSELF  127 

"Dropped  in  on  my  way  to  the  roundhouse," 
he  observed.  "I  received  a  wire  from  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Great  Northern  about  an  hour  ago, 
Fairbanks." 

"Yes,  sir?"  said  Ralph,  wondering  what  was 
coming. 

Shrewd  Jack  Knight  gave  a  wise  chuckle,  and 
his  eyes  twinkled. 

"He  mentioned  you,"  pursued  the  superintend- 
ent. "He  sent  a  long  wire,  requesting  an  ex- 
pression of  his  thanks  for  prompt  service  all  along 
the  line.  He  added  a  paragraph  that  may  inter- 
est you.  As  I  take  you  to  be  too  practical  a 
young  man  to  get  the  swelled  head,  or  impose  on 
an  appreciation  of  duty  well  done,  I  will  read  the 
paragraph  to  you." 

The  speaker  drew  a  typewritten  yellow  sheet 
from  his  pocket.     He  resumed: 

"The  president  says :  T  imagine  that  by  young 
Ralph  Fairbanks,  who  has  shown  such  devotion 
to  his  duty  and  saved  the  special  under  such  ex- 
traordinary circumstances,  the  intelligence  will  be 
gladly  received  that  my  timely  arrival  at  home 
probably  saved  my  dear  wife's  life.  The  morn- 
ing papers  here  have  a  full  account  of  his  re- 
markable adventures  at  the  switch  tower.  I  de- 
sire that  you  commend  him  warmly  in  my  behalf, 
and  it  is  the  sense  of  the  road  directors  that,  while 


128         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

you  do  not  promote  him  too  fast,  you  must  see 
that  he  gets  what  he  deserves  promptly." 

Ralph  flushed  with  emotion.  He  could  not 
speak. 

"Good!"  commented  blunt  old  Jack.  "The 
president  is  a  brick.  You're  another  one,  Mr. 
Superintendent,  and  you  don't  lose,  let  me  tell 
you,  by  warming  up  a  thrifty  employee's  heart  by 
giving  him  the  real  stuff,  right  from  the  shoulder, 
when  he  deserves  it." 

The  superintendent  smiled  and  bowed,  and 
went  on  his  way. 

"Stiff  as  a  poker,  looks  as  if  his  only  thought 
was  to  catch  a  chance  to  fire  someone,"  observed 
Knight,  watching  the  prim,  dignified  official  cross- 
ing the  tracks  below.  "Look  at  him — cold  as  an 
iceberg.  You've  thawed  him  out,  though,  Fair- 
banks!" chuckled  the  veteran  towerman.  "That's 
SO — there  is  something  I  wanted  to  find  out." 

He  pretended  to  be  mightily  busy  poring  over 
a  little  red  memorandum  book  for  a  few  minutes. 

"Got  it,"  he  called  out  finally :  "Chief  Train 
Dispatcher.  One  hundred  and  seventy-five  dol- 
lars a  month.  Keep  it  in  view,  kid.  You  heard 
what  the  president  said." 

"Nonsense !"  flushed  Ralph  ;  "my  highest  ambi- 
tion for  a  long  time  to  come  is  to  run  a  loco- 
motive." 


'A  HERO  DESPITE  HIMSELF  \%$ 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  regarded  her  son  with  humid 
eyes  as  he  told  the  story  of  the  day  that  night. 

She  did  not  try  to  express  her  emotion.  She 
could  not.  Ever  since  Ralph  had  resolutely 
started  at  work,  there  had  been  what  she  greeted 
as  a  continual  round  of  blessings.  And  Ralph 
shared  her  heartfelt  gratefulness. 

Right  after  supper  they  started  together  to 
visit  Mrs.  Davis.  Ralph  carried  a  basket  which 
contained  some  dainties  his  mother  had  prepared 
for  the  invalid. 

On  their  way  Ralph  told  his  mother  of  the 
suspicious  circumstances  of  Gasper  Farrington's 
visit  to  the  Davis  home  the  evening  previous.  He 
thought  she  ought  now  to  know  of  it.  He  inti- 
mated, too,  that  it  might  be  wise  to  warn  Mrs. 
Davis. 

"If  she  would  only  talk  out  what  is  evidently 
preying  on  her  mind,"  observed  Mrs.  Fairbanks, 
"we  could  understand  the  situation  much  more 
clearly." 

"You  know  she  has  promised  to  enlighten  us 
in  a  way,  this  evening,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"The  house  is  dark,"  said  his  mother,  as  they 
neared  it. 

"Yes,  and — why,  mother!  the  door  is  open." 

Ralph  knocked  loudly.  There  was  no  re- 
sponse. 


130         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"I  hope  nothing  is  amiss,"  murmured  Mrs. 
Fairbanks,  in  a  fluttering  tone. 

She  groped  her  way  down  the  dark  hall  and 
into  the  sitting  room,  stumbling  over  some  gar- 
ments lying  on  the  floor  which  nearly  tripped 
her  up. 

"Mrs.  Davis!  Mrs.  Davis!"  she  called,  "are 
you  here?" 

Again  there  was  only  silence.  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks sighed  with  deep  suspense. 

"Perhaps  I  had  better  get  a  light,"  suggested 
Ralph. 

"I  wish  you  would,"  said  his  mother. 

Ralph  flared  a  match.  He  discovered  a  lamp 
on  a  mantel-shelf  and  lighted  it.  Mother  and 
son  glanced  about  the  apartment  searchingly. 

On  the  floor  lay  the  heavy  shawl  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks had  stumbled  over.  A  little  table  was  over- 
turned. A  drapery  that  had  festooned  the  en- 
trance doorway  from  the  hall  was  torn  half  loose, 
as  if  someone  had  grasped  it  in  being  dragged 
from  the  room. 

"That  looks  bad,"  said  Ralph  gravely. 

He  took  up  the  lamp  and  went  all  through  the 
house.  In  the  one  upper  chamber  the  contents  of 
the  bureau  drawer  were  scattered  all  over  the 
floor.  A  trunk  was  broken  open,  and  its  interior 
all  in  disorder. 


A  HERO  DESPITE  HIMSELF  JS\ 

"Is  she  here,  Ralph?"  questioned  his  mother 
anxiously,  as  he  returned  to  the  sitting  room. 

"No,"  answered  Ralph.  "Mother,  there  is 
foul  play  here." 

"Oh,  Ralph!" 

"I  am  sure  of  it.  Someone  has  ransacked  the 
house,  and  I  believe  they  have  kidnapped  Mrs. 
Davis." 

"But — why?"  stammered  the  affrighted  Mrs. 
Fairbanks. 

"Why?"  cried  Ralph,  greatly  stirred  up  by 
tumultuous  thoughts  and  suspicions  that  irresist- 
ibly thronged  his  brain.  "To  secure  something 
that  Mrs.  Davis  had  in  her  keeping,  I  believe." 

"But  who  would  do  it?" 

"Who?"  responded  Ralph.  "I  can  imagine 
only  one  person  who  might  be  interested." 

"And  that  is?" 

"Gasper  Farrington." 

"Right!"  pronounced  a  new  voice,  startlingly 
near.  "You  have  hit  the  nail  squarely  on  the 
head  this  time.,  Ralph  Fairbanks !" 


CHAPTER    XVI 

KIDNAPPED 

Mother  and  son  turned  quickly  towards  the 
open  doorway  of  the  little  sitting  room. 

It  framed  a  forlorn  figure — a  boyish  form 
covered  with  mud,  hatless,  and  disheveled. 

"Van !"  cried  Mrs.  Fairbanks  in  astonishment. 

She  had  a  warm  corner  in  her  heart  for  the 
refugee  who  had  made  her  home  his  for  so  many 
weeks  when  his  poor  mind  was  distraught. 

Her  motherly  face  lit  up,  and  she  extended  her 
arms  in  greeting. 

But  Van  edged  up  to  her  gingerly,  and  kissing 
her  cheek  quickly  drew  back  with  the  remark : 

"I've  been  homesick  and  hungry  for  a  week 
just  to  see  you  smile  and  to  hear  you  call  me  your 
boy,  but  I'm  too  muddy  and  torn  up  for  even  a 
second-class  prodigal  son  !  " 

"Why,  Van!"  cried  Ralph;  "how  did  you  get 
in  that  fix?" 

"Run  down  by  a  team." 

"And  you  are  hurt — there  is  a  deep  cut  on 
your  cheek." 

132 


KIDNAPPED  133 

"Oh,  that's  a  whip-handle  clip  from  a  very 
particular  friend  of  yours,"  responded  Van  care- 
lessly.    "Ike   Slump." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  shivered  at  the  mention  of  that 
detested  individual.  Ralph  was  eagerly  inquisi- 
tive. 

"And  about  Mrs.  Davis?"  he  asked  hurriedly. 

"The  woman  who  lived  here — the  photograph 
woman?" 

"Yes,  Van.  Do  you  know  anything  about 
her?" 

"I  fancy  I  do.     She  has  been  kidnapped." 

"We  feared  that!"  murmured  Mrs.  Fairbanks 
anxiously. 

"Yes,"  nodded  Van  briskly,  "it  looks  that  way, 
and  I  have  had  a  lively  time  of  it.  Did  you  tell 
your  mother  about  meeting  me  here  last  night, 
Ralph?" 

"No,  Van." 

"Then  I  will  tell  her  now.  You  see,  Mrs. 
Fairbanks,  I  was  caught  by  Ralph  peeking  into 
this  very  room,  last  night.  I  explained  to  him 
how  it  was.  I  had  an  old  photograph  of  a 
woman  who  turns  out  to  be  this  Mrs.  Davis.  I 
had  been  instructed  to  locate  her." 

"By  whom,  Van?"  inquired  the  astonished 
Mrs.    Fairbanks. 

"It's  a  secret,  it  is  not  my  business  in  a  way," 


134         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

he  burst  forth  abruptly,  "but  I  can't  keep  the 
truth  from  you  two.  I  think  you  ought  to  know 
it.  I  think,  too,  that  the  person  for  whom  I  am 
acting,  the  way  things  have  turned  out,  would 
also  wish  you  to  know  it.  Here  is  the  fact: 
Farwell  Gibson  is  the  person  who  got  me  to  come 
here  to  locate  this  Mrs.  Davis." 

"Farwell  Gibson?"  repeated  Mrs.  Fairbanks  in 
wonderment,  though  Ralph  was  not  surprised  at 
the  statement.  He  had  already  half  guessed  out 
what  his  chum  now  disclosed. 

"Yes,"  nodded  Van. 

"Then  he  knows  Mrs.  Davis?"  asked  Mrs. 
Fairbanks. 

"Ought  to,"  answered  Van  promptly,  "seeing 
she  is  his  wife." 

"You  astound  me,  Van!"  murmured  the  mysti- 
fied Mrs.  Fairbanks. 

"Well,  she  is.  At  least,  the  original  of  the 
photograph  I  showed  Ralph  is  his  wife.  I  don't 
know  all  the  details,  only  it's  some  more  of  Far- 
rington's  fine  work.  You  know  Gibson  was  in 
his  clutches  for  years.  Mr.  Gibson  and  his  wife 
had  a  bitter  quarrel  over  money  matters  many 
years  ago.  It  seemed  he  had  used  some  of  her 
means  in  his  stock-jobbing  operations  with  Far- 
rington.  They  separated.  Later  Farrington 
made  Gibson  believe  his  wife  was  dead.     He  did 


KIDNAPPED  135 

this  to  get  Gibson  to  consent  to  sign  certain  papers 
that  furthered  Farrington's  schemes.  Then  he 
got  Gibson  under  his  thumb,  and  drove  him  into 
exile." 

"I  wonder  the  villain  sleeps  nights !"  said  the 
indignant  Ralph. 

"Well,  anyhow,"  proceeded  Van,  "Gibson  got 
looking  into  matters,  when  his  meeting  with 
Ralph  led  to  your  having  your  rights,  and  old 
Farrington  taking  the  clamps  off  Gibson  by  de- 
stroying the  forged  note  he  had  held  over  him 
for  so  many  years.  Gibson  learned  that  his  wife 
was  not  dead.  He  sent  me  to  try  and  locate 
her — which  I  have  done." 

"  But  she  is  lost  again,"  suggested  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks. 

"  Oh,  don't  fret  about  that,"  spoke  Van  coolly. 
"I'll  find  her  again,  don't  you  doubt  it.  You 
see,  all  this  concerns  you  and  Ralph  very  closely, 
I  am  sure.  In  fact,  Mr.  Gibson  intimated  to  me 
that  if  he  could  get  into  communication  with  his 
estranged  wife,  he  believed  she  could  give  infor- 
mation that  would  lead  to  the  recovery  of  those 
twenty  thousand  dollars  in  railroad  bonds." 

"Everything  fits  to  one  conviction,"  mused 
Ralph  aloud.  "All  this  being  true,  it  is  cer- 
tainly to  Farrington's  interest  to  drive  Mrs. 
Davis  away  from  Stanley  Junction." 


136         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"They  drove  her  away,  right  enough,"  nodded 
Van  vigorously — "in  a  close  carriage,  behind  a 
spanking  team.  It  was  old  Farrington's,  and  the 
drivers  were  Ike  Slump  and  a  fellow  I  heard  him 
call  Mort." 

"Mort  Bemis,"  murmured  Ralph. 

"You  see,"  said  Van,  "when  I  left  you  last 
night,  I  had  only  one  idea:  to  get  back  to  Mr. 
Gibson  and  report.  I  started  for  the  depot  to 
take  the  train  for  Springfield,  intending  to  come 
back  and  see  you  all  in  a  day  or  two.  Well,  on 
my  way  to  the  depot  I  ran  across  old  Farrington 
I  got  thinking  that  his  appearance  on  the  scene, 
spying  on  the  woman  Gibson,  was  sig — sig — ■ 
what's  the  word,  anyhow?" 

"Significant,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"That's  it — significant.  I  thought  I  would 
watch  him  a  bit.  He  did  not  go  home.  He 
went  to  an  old  abandoned  shanty  near  the  fair 
grounds.  He  met  two  fellows  there,  apparently 
■waiting  for  him.  They  strolled  up  and  down  the 
road,  talking  together.  As  soon  as  I  recognized 
Ike  Slump,  I  knew  deep  mischief  was  up.  I  saw 
Farrington  give  them  money.  I  caught  the  name 
of  the  other  fellow — Mort.  I  saw  old  Farring- 
ton to  bed,  and  lay  down  in  one  of  his  comfort- 
able garden  hammocks  to  think.  When  I  woks 
up  it  was  daybreak." 


KIDNAPPED  137 

"Why  didn't  you  come  to  the  house  and  see 
US?"  inquired  Airs.  Fairbanks  reproach  fully. 

"Couldn't  bring  my  mind  to  disturb  you,  with 
business  on  hand,"  declared  Van  sturdily.  "I 
hung  around,  and  saw  old  Farrington  go  about 
as  if  nothing  unusual  was  on  the  string.  Then 
about  noon  I  went  down  to  the  shanty  where  he 
had  met  Slump  &  Co.  No  one  there.  They 
had  moved  quarters,  it  seemed.  I  nosed  around 
generally.  About  four  o'clock  I  ran  across  that 
Mort.  He  was  visiting  some  stores.  Acted  as 
if  it  wasn't  exactly  safe  to  linger  around  people, 
for  he  didn't  lose  much  time  in  buying  some 
neckties,  collars,  cigars,  and  two  new  hats." 

"He  robbed  a  chum  day  before  yesterday,"  ex- 
plained Ralph. 

"Oh,  that  was  it?  He  looked  like  a  thief.  I 
suppose  Slump  didn't  care  to  show  his  face  at 
all.  Well,  I  took  up  the  trail  of  his  crony.  He 
started  out  the  west  turnpike.  I  kept  safely  in 
the  rear.     He  beat  me." 

"How?" 

"A  man  came  along  with  a  fast  team.  This 
fellow,  Mort,  begged  or  paid  for  a  lift.  They 
disappeared  in  a  cloud  of  dust.  I  went  back  to 
town,  saw  your  railroad  detective,  told  him  Ike 
Slump  was  on  the  scene,  and  he  is  looking  for 
him  with  a  warrant  for  stealing  those  brass  fit- 


138         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

tings  from  the  roundhouse.  I  thought  I'd  clip 
Slump's  wings  for  good.  It  made  one  the  less 
to  watch." 

"Whew!"  whistled  Ralph  slowly,  "you'r* 
action    when   you    get    started.    Van." 

"There  is  only  a  little  more  to  tell,"  continued 
Van.  "I  went  back  to  the  Farrington  place. 
Just  at  dusk,  who  should  drive  out  but  old  Far- 
rington himself,  with  his  best  team  hitched  to  a 
close  carriage.  The  fates  were  again  against  me. 
He  got  out  by  the  rear,  and  he,  too,  took  the 
west  turnpike.  I  ran  for  a  mile,  keeping  tab  on 
a  cloud  of  dust.  It  was  no  use.  I  sat  down  on 
a  log  by  the  roadside  to  rest.  In  a  few  minutes 
I  keeled  over  double-quick,  and  lay  flat.  Far- 
rington was  coming  back — on  foot." 

"He  had  left  his  team  somewhere?" 

"That's  it.  I  waited  until  he  was  out  of  sight. 
Then  I  reasoned  out  that  this  was  a  very  queer 
proceeding.  I  made  up  my  mind  that  somehow 
he  had  given  that  team  over  into  the  keeping  of 
his  two  young  scallawag  friends.  I  put  for  the 
country.  I  inquired  along  half  a  dozen  branching 
country  roads  I  took.  'About  an  hour  ago  I  gave 
it  up,  was  trudging  back  for  town,  when  down 
the  road  came  a  team — Farrington's  team.  One 
of  its  drivers  flashed  a  match  to  light  a  cigarette. 
Then  I  knew  my  people.     I  edged  aside,  but  as 


KIDNAPPED  139 

the  carriage  flew  by  I  jumped  on  the  rear  axle, 
drew  myself  up,  and  tried  to  look  in  through  the 
rear  little  glass  window.  Someone  was  lying  on 
the  back  seat.  There  was  a  smell  like  chloro- 
form in  the  air.  I  managed  to  climb  right  up  on 
the  smooth,  slippery  top  of  the  carriage." 

"What  was  your  idea?"  asked  Ralph. 

"I  hardly  knew.  Somehow,  a  quick  suspicion 
came  into  my  mind  that  the  person  inside  that 
carriage  was  Mrs.  Davis." 

"It  was." 

"I  know  that  now,  sure  enough.  I  crept  for- 
ward. That  fellow,  Mort,  happened  to  turn. 
Our  faces  came  nearly  together.  I  grabbed  at 
him,  he  at  me.  He  must  be  a  pretty  husky  speci- 
men. Before  I  could  save  myself,  he  gave  me 
a  pull  and  a  fling.  I  went  down  between  the 
horses." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  shuddered,  and  looked  solici- 
tous and  alarmed. 

"Ike  Slump  reversed  the  whip  and  struck  out 
at  me.  I  dropped  into  a  mud-puddle.  For  a 
minute  anyhow  I  was  insensible  from  the  blow 
and  the  fall.  When  I  picked  myself  up  the  team 
was  nowhere  in  sight.  I  came  back  to  find  out 
if  they  had  really  kidnapped  Mrs.  Davis,  and 
met  you." 

Van  sat  down,  pretty  well  tired  out,  at  the 


140         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

conclusion  of  his  recital.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  looked 
very  serious,  Ralph  worried  and  excited. 

"Something  must  be  done  instantly,"  Ralph 
declared. 

"Hold  on."  interrupted  Van  coolly,  "make  this 
strictly  my  affair,  if  you  please.  From  what  I 
hear,  you  need  all  your  time  and  ability  for  the 
splendid  railroad  service  you  are  doing.  You 
can't  corner  old  Farrington — he's  too  foxy.  Yoc 
can't  overtake  Slump  &  Co. — they've  got  to<* 
good  a  start.  It's  a  simple  matter :  Farrington 
is  sending  Mrs.  Davis  out  of  the  way.  Tha^ 
team  has  got  to  come  back.  The  police  will  find 
Ike  Slump.  They  don't  dare  seriously  molest 
Mrs.  Davis.  I  shall  keep  on  the  watch.  In  the 
morning  I  will  get  word  somehow  to  Farwell 
Gibson.  Then  I  will  devote  my  time  strictly  to 
finding  Mrs.  Davis,  and— I  intend  to  find  her." 

They  closed  up  the  deserted  house.  Then  all 
three  took  their  way  homewards. 

"Of  course  you  are  coming  with  us,  Van?" 
said  Mrs.   Fairbanks. 

"Yes,  ma'am,"  answered  Van  promptly.  "I 
want  to  forget  all  about  this  worrying  business 
for  twelve  hours,  so  as  to  be  fresh  and  bright 
for  a  new  trail  in  the  morning.  And  I'm  just 
pining  for  a  good,  thick  slice  of  your  home-made 
bread." 


KIDNAPPED  144 

"You  shall  have  it,  Van,"  smiled  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks, trying  to  momentarily  put  aside  her 
troubles,  "  and  half  a  mince  pie,  as  well." 

"Home-made,  too?"  interrogated  Van,  in  a 
famished  way. 

"  Only  to-day." 

"M-m-m !"  mumbled  Van  ravenously.  "I'm 
homesick  for  one  of  your  rare,  square  meals. 
Hustle,  Ralph — lead  the  way  to  the  royal  ban- 
quet!" 


CHAPTER   XVII 

A   MIDNIGHT   VISITOR 

Ralph  was  a  month  old  at  switch-tower 
service. 

Looking  back  over  thirty  days,  it  seemed  more 
than  four  weeks,  so  many  varied  and  important 
incidents  in  his  career,  had  been  crowded  into  that 
space  of  time. 

It  was  a  wild,  stormy  night.  Sleet  and  wind 
were  battering  the  switch  tower  windows.  Al- 
though there  was  a  chill  in  the  air,  the  lightning 
was  vivid  and  the  thunder  roll  incessant. 

The  clock  showed  even  midnight.  Ralph  for 
over  a  week  had  been  on  night  duty  solely.  Doc 
Bortree  was  laid  up  with  a  fever,  and  Ralph  and 
Jack  Knight  had  been  running  the  place  on  two 
shifts. 

Since  the  night  of  her  disappearance,  neither 

Ralph   nor   his    anxious   mother   had    learned   a 

thing  as   to   the    fate   or   whereabouts   of   Mrs. 

Davis. 

Van  had  left  them  the  following  day.     Upun 
142 


A  MIDNIGHT  VISITOR  143 

that  day,  too,  Gasper  Farrington  appeared,  im- 
posing and  self-contained  as  ever,  driving  about 
the  town  with  his  team.  It  had  returned,  it 
seemed,  but  Ike  Slump  and  Mort  Bemis  had  not. 
Ralph  looked  for  them  and  inquired  about  them 
at  many  sources,  friendly  and  unfriendly.  They 
Jiad  completely  vanished. 

Ralph  and  his  mother  had  many  consultations 
over  the  situation.  The  former  was  for  inter- 
viewing Farrington.  He  even  suggested  going 
to  some  lawyer  or  to  the  police  with  his  story 
of  the  disappearance  of  Mrs.  Davis. 

On  second  thoughts,  however,  he  realized  that 
he  had  very  little  tangible  evidence  implicating 
the  magnate  to  offer.  Farrington  was  wealthy, 
influential.  To  make  a  mistake  at  this  juncture 
would  be  to  only  strengthen  and  warn  the  schem- 
ing magnate. 

So  Ralph  concluded  to  wait  patiently,  Hoping 
day  by  day  that  Van  would  get  some  wrord  to 
them. 

A  week  went  by,  two  of  them — no  token  from 
Van  to  show  that  he  was  following  up  the  Davis 
affair. 

About  the  middle  of  the  third  week,  however, 
Ralph  received  a  brief  note  from  Van.  It  had 
been  mailed  at  Springfield. 

"I  am  laid   up   at  Farwell    Gibson's   with   a 


144         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

sprained  ankle,"  the  brief  letter  ran.  "Don't 
worry.  Will  soon  be  on  deck  again.  Things 
working." 

This  was  pretty  vague  encouragement,  but 
Ralph  was  forced  to  be  content  with  it  for  the 
time  being. 

"There's  one  thing,"  he  told  his  mother: 
"Mr.  Gibson  knows  all  that  we  know,  and  all 
that  Van  knows,  and  probably  a  great  deal  more. 
He  is  not  the  man  to  be  idle  in  a  matter  like 
this.  Between  them,  he  and  Van  will  probably 
do  all  that  can  be  done  in  finding  Mrs.  Davis, 
and  we  shall  hear  from  them  in  due  time." 

Ralph  met  Gasper  Farrington  face  to  face 
several  times.  The  magnate  did  not  speak  to 
him.  He  did,  however,  look  very  sneeringly  and 
significantly  at  the  young  towerman  with  a  kind 
of  triumphant  vindictiveness,  Ralph  fancied. 

Farrington  was  busy  pushing  along  the  work 
of  the  switch  spur  up  to  his  factory.  It  had 
progressed  rapidly,  adding  two  new  levers  to  the 
battery  that  Ralph  operated. 

Another  person  Ralph  was  somewhat  inter- 
ested in  crossed  his  path  occasionally.  This  was 
Young  Slavin.  He  would  simply  nod  to  Ralph, 
but  the  old  rowdyish  swing  was  gone.  There 
was  a  strange,  grave  respect  in  his  manner.  When 
Ralph  tried  to  engage  him  in  any  protracted  con- 


A  MIDNIGHT  VISITOR  145 

versation,  however,  Slavin  backed  off  with  an 
embarrassed  excuse  about  being  busy. 

Ralph  was  pretty  lonesome  and  weary  that 
night  in  the  switch  tower.  A  couple  of  night 
watchmen  had  alternately  kept  him  company  up 
tp  ten  o'clock.  Since  that  hour  he  had  been 
completely  alone. 

The  tracks  were  comparatively  idle.  There 
was  a  west  train  at  12.15,  the  night  out  mail. 
The  night  in  express  train  from  the  switch  was 
due  at  12.05,  but  was  reported  delayed  by  ? 
washout  beyond  Acton.  Behind  her  was  th* 
through  freight. 

These  were  all  the  regulars  Ralph  had  to  look 
out  for.  About  eleven  o'clock  two  trains  had 
come  in.  The  limits  tower  had  given  siding  di- 
rections on  one,  and  a  new  depot  terminal  on  the 
other. 

This  led  to  a  mix-up,  nothing  worse,  but  Ralph 
wondered  why  the  peculiar  orders  had  been  given. 
At  11.30,  limits  dialed  for  "Chaser  on  the  way." 
None  came.  At  II. 15  the  telephone  called  for 
a  double  switch  on  a  freight  special.  It  did  not 
show  up. 

"Strange!"  reflected  Ralph.  "Old  Bryson  is 
on  duty  at  the  limits.  He  is  exact  as  a  die,  and 
never  jokes.  Is  the  electricity  playing  tricks  with 
the  wires,  or  is  some  one  at  the  limits  spelling 


146         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Bryson  and  having  some  fun  with  me?  Pretty 
serious  business  to  fool  with,  and  a  pretty  bad 
night  to  indulge  in  jokes." 

Ralph  swung  the  out  rails  for  the  12.15.  ^e 
sat  down  in  the  comfortable  old  armchair  in 
ready  reach  of  the  telephone  and  plain  sight  of 
the  dial,  and  spread  out  his  lunch  for  a  midnight 
nibble. 

He  was  just  realizing  what  famous  doughnuts 
his  mother  made,  when  the  trap  came  up.  Ralph 
had  closed  it  to  shut  out  the  draught. 

A  familiar  head  came  up  from  the  ladder. 
Ralph  in  some  wonderment  recognized  Young 
Slavin. 

"Oh,  it's  you?"  he  said  pleasantly.  "Come  in 
■ — sit  down." 

"No,  I  won't  stay,"  demurred  Slavin,  shaking 
his  outer  coat,  which  was  dripping  with  wet.  "I 
— you  see,  I  was  strolling  by.  Saw  you  up  here, 
and  thought  I'd  drop  in  for  a  minute." 

"I  am  glad.  It  is  pretty  lonesome  up  here,  you 
know,"  said  Ralph. 

He  noticed  a  certain  embarrassment  in  Slavin's 
manner.  It  was  a  queer  night  and  a  queer  hour 
for  Slavin  to  select  for  a  stroll.  Ralph  wondered 
what  really  was  the  motive  of  his  visit. 

As  Slavin  shook  his  outer  coat  Ralph  caught  a 
gleam  of  bright  red  beneath  it.     He  was  quite 


A  MIDNIGHT  VISITOR  147 

surprised  to  observe  that  this  was  a  sweater, 
bearing  the  initials  "S.  A."  braided  across  its 
front. 

"Why,  Mr.  Slavin,"  he  said  with  an  inquisi- 
tive smile,  "is  that  a  uniform  you  are  wearing?" 

"Why,  yes,"  admitted  Slavin,  turning  as  red  in 
the  face  as  the  sweater  itself — "Salvation  Army, 
you  know." 

"I  thought  so.    Joined  them?" 

Slavin  fidgeted,  and  regarded  Ralph  suspi- 
ciously from  the  corner  of  one  eye  to  see  if  he 
was  laughing  at  him.  Ralph  preserved  a  reas- 
suring gravity  on  purpose. 

"N-no,"  said  Slavin.  "You  see,  I  got  tired  of 
that  mob  I  was  training  with.  They  borrowed 
and  stole  all  I  earned." 

"I  am  glad  you  have  left  them,"  said  Ralph. 

"Thought  you  would  be,  and  thought  I'd  come 
and  tell  you,"  stammered  Slavin  in  a  floundering 
way.  "Oh,  I'm  playing  no  goody-goody  act.  I 
am  just  holding  my  mouth,  and  watching  those 
preacher  fellows  at  the  army  barracks.  They're 
all  right.  Wish  I  was.  'Live  and  let  live,'  I 
told  them,  when  some  rowdies  pelted  them  and 
smashed  a  hole  in  their  big  bass  drum.  So,  just 
at  present  I  am  acting  as  their  bouncer." 

"Good  for  you !"  commended  Ralph  heartily. 

"You  know  I  can  bounce  all  right?"  said  Slavin 


148         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

significantly.  "Well,  I  must  be  going.  So  long. 
Oh,  say — by  the  way,  Fairbanks." 

It  was  evident  to  Ralph  that  Slavin  was  now 
about  to  reveal  the  real  motive  of  his  midnight 
call. 

"I  wanted  to  ask  you,"  proceeded  Slavin, 
rather  lamely — "has  anyone  been  troubling  you 
lately?" 

"Why,  no,"  answered  Ralph  in  quick  surprise 
at  the  pointed  inquiry — "but  who,  for  instance?" 

"Mort  Bemis,  for  one.  And  do  you  know  the 
fellow  he  went  off  with?" 

"You  mean  Ike  Slump?" 

"That's  his  name.  Look  out  for  him — for 
both  of  them.  I'll  do  the  rest,"  rather  emphat- 
ically observed  Slavin,  doubling  up  his  fist  till  it 
resembled  the  hammering  end  of  a  big  sledge. 

"It  seems  strange,  your  asking  me  about 
them,"  remarked  Ralph.  "I  would  like  very 
much  to  know  where  they  are  at  present." 

"You  would?  I  can  tell  you — they  are  right 
here  in  Stanley  Junction.  I'm  laying  for  them. 
That's  why  I'm  up  so  late.  I  know  they  have 
it  in  for  you." 

"Why?" 

"Oh,  on  general  principles  of  meanness. 
That's  why  I  came  to  warn  you.  I  think,"  con- 
tinued Slavin  with  a  dangerous  gleam  in  his  eye, 


A  MIDNIGHT  VISITOR  149 

"I  think  I'll  get  there  first.  Don't  you  worry — 
I'm  pretty  sure  to  head  them  off.  Only  keep  an 
eye  open." 

'Thank  you,"  said  Ralph.  "So  they  are  back 
in  town?    Are  they  going  about  openly?" 

"They  came  late  this  afternoon.  A  friend  told 
me  he  saw  them  driving  along  in  a  cab,  fixed  up 
reckless.  He  said  they  had  on  the  latest  new 
togs,  diamond  pins,  kid  gloves,  et  settery,  till  you 
couldn't  rest." 

"I  should  think  that  was  rather  venturesome 
on  Slump's  part,"  said  Ralph. 

"You  mean,  because  there's  a  warrant  out  for 
him  on  that  old  junk-stealing  case?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph. 

"It's  settled." 

"It's — what?"  demanded  Ralph  in  profound 
astonishment. 

"Settled — at  least  fixed  up  in  some  way." 

"How  do  you  know?"  inquired  Ralph  skep- 
tically. 

"Adair,  the  road  detective,  told  a  crossings 
man,  boiling  hot  over  it.  Said  that  Slump  had 
gone  to  the  justice,  put  in  an  appearance,  and  was 
bound  over  to  next  court  term." 

"Why,"  said  Ralph,  "that  looks  incredible. 
He  would  have  to  give  bonds." 

"Yes,  five  hundred  dollars'  bail.     He  gave  it, 


150         RALPH  LV  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

right  enough.  Bondsman  was  right  there.  The 
thing  had  been  cut  and  dried  beforehand." 

"Who  was  his  bondsman — did  you  learn?" 
asked  Ralph. 

"Sure — it  was  old  Gasper  Farrington." 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

A   DESPERATE    CHANCE 

"Gasper  Farrington  again!"  cried  Ralph. 

His  thoughts  ran  rapidly.  At  a  good  many 
turns  of  late,  it  seemed,  the  miserly  magnate  of 
Stanley  Junction  was  coming  into  his  life. 

To  Ralph  the  solution  of  the  present  problem 
was  prompt  and  logical :  Farrington  probably  had 
the  unfortunate  Mrs.  Davis  in  his  power.  He 
had  hired  Mort  Bemis  and  Ike  Slump  to  kidnap 
her.  Now  he  himself  was  at  the  mercy  and  in 
the  clutches  of  his  conscienceless  confederates. 

Ralph  theorized  that  he  had  paid  his  accom- 
plices a  goodly  sum  of  money  for  their  assist- 
ance. For  a  time,  with  plenty  of  ready  cash  in 
their  possession,  they  had  found  diversion  in  the 
city.  The  longing  to  cut  a  dash  at  home,  how- 
ever, had  brought  them  back  to  Stanley  Junction. 

It  looked  as  if  Slump  had  set  a  price  for  his 
silence  and  secrecy  regarding  the  magnate's 
schemes.  He  had  probably  demanded  that  Far- 
rington go  on  his  bail  bond,  and  afterwards  stand 

151 


152         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

back  of  him  in  the  trial  with  his  wealth  and 
influence. 

"I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  what  you 
have  told  me,  Slavin,"  said  Ralph  at  last.  "Also 
for  your  kindly  intentions  toward  me.  If  I  were 
you,  though,  I  wouldn't  go  getting  into  trouble 
with  those  two  fellows." 

"Trouble?"  cried  Slavin  wrath  fully.  "I  want 
to  get  back  my  medals.  Say,  if  those  fellows 
who  stole  them  have  sold  them  where  I  can't  get 
them,  or  melted  them  down,  I'll  pretty  near  crip- 
ple them  for  life.  But  you  mind  what  I  came  to 
tell  you.  They  hate  you,  and  they'll  try  and  trap 
you.  So,  you  watch  out  close.  As  I  say,  I'll  do 
the  rest.     I'm  going." 

"Good-night,  Slavin,"  answered  Ralph,  extend- 
ing his  hand. 

Slavin  started  at  the  sight  of  it.  He  flushed, 
looked  pleased,  and  his  big  broad  paw  shot  out. 

"You  honor  me,"  he  said,  "and  I'm  proud  of 
it.     Oh,  say — 'sense !  'sense  !" 

"Excuse  what?"  demanded  Ralph  calmly,  with 
a  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

Slavin  had  unconsciously  given  Ralph  the 
crushing  hand-shake  that  used  to  lay  up  unsus- 
picious new  acquaintances  for  a  week.  To  his 
surprise  the  grip  was  returned  with  equal  force. 
Ralph  did  not  even  wince. 


A  DESPERATE  CHANCE  153 

"You're  a  good  one,"  pronounced  Slavin,  in 
genuine  admiration.     "I  thought  I'd  hurt  you." 

"Pulling  those  levers  is  a  great  muscle-builder," 
explained  Ralph. 

"Looks  so,  in  your  case,"  admitted  Slavin. 
"Say,"  he  added,  in  a  kind  of  longing  sigh,  his 
eyes  sparkling  as  they  ran  the  grim  battery  of 
switch  pullers — "there's  my  ambition  in  life." 

"What's  that,  Slavin — tower  duty?" 

"Oh,  anything  in  the  railroad  line,  from  pull- 
ing up  piles  to  driving  spikes,"  declared  Slavin, 
swinging  his  big  arms  about  restlessly.  "There's 
no  bad  in  me.  I'd  love  to  work.  Only,  you  see, 
I  was  born  strong,  and  something  has  kept  me 
pushing  my  muscle  to  the  fore.  It  led  to  en- 
couraging me  to  be  a  bruiser.  I  tell  you,  if  I 
had  a  job  like  this,  where  I  could  work  off  the 
extra  steam,  I'd  just  make  a  record." 

"Then — why  not?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"You  mean,  why  not  get  the  job?"  exclaimed 
Slavin  in  an  eager  breath. 

"Exactly." 

"Would  they  have  me?" 

•'Again,  why  not?"  said  Ralph — "if  you  are  in 
earnest." 

"Oh,  am  I !" 

"I'll  speak  to  Mr.  Knight.  I  will  do  more.  I 
will  ask  the  depot  master  to  take  your  application, 


154         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Slavin,"  said  Ralph  earnestly,  laying  a  gentle 
hand  on  the  big  fellow's  shoulder,  "you  have 
shown  yourself  a  man  to-night.  Keep  it  up, 
and" — Ralph  smiled  significantly  as  he  quoted 
Slavin's  own  recent  words — "I'll  do  the  rest." 

Slavin  dashed  an  impetuous  hand  across  his 
eyes.  They  had  filled  with  a  suspicious  moist- 
ure. He  evidently  could  not  trust  himself  to 
speak  further,  for  as  he  started  down  the  trap 
ladder  he  only  waved  Ralph  a  clumsy,  silent 
adieu. 

The  episode  of  Yaung  Slavin's  visit  had  been  a 
pleasant  diversion  to  the  monotony  of  the  hour 
Ralph  pulled  the  out  switch  for  the  12.15  niail. 
Then  he  sat  down  again  and  finished  his  lunch. 

The  storm  raged  on  with  unabated  fury. 
There  was  nothing  to  do  now  until  morning  ex- 
cept to  watch  out  for  the  night  express  and  the 
regular    freight. 

The  express,  Ralph  knew,  was  stalled  by  a 
wash-out  beyond  Acton.  Naturally  the  freight, 
blocked  behind  it,  could  not  get  through  until  the 
road  was  cleared.  Ralph  walked  up  and  down 
the  tower  for  exercise.  Suddenly  he  threw  up  a 
window. 

Some  moving  lanterns  over  on  the  repair  trade 
attracted  his  attention.  Their  flare  and  that  of 
the  lightning  showed  him  three  men  getting  a 


A  DESPERATE  CHANCE  155 

handcar  in  to  service.  One  of  them  ran  up  to 
the  tower  and  made  a  trumpet  of  his  hands. 

"Give  us  the  out  track,"  he  called. 

"All  right,"  answered  Ralph 

"Train  ditched — wrecking  crew  ordered  out." 

"Yes,  I  know — the  wash-out  at  Acton,"  said 
Ralph — "the  in   express." 

"No,  the  outmail — just  beyond  the  limits." 

"What !"  cried  Ralph  in  a  startled  tone. 

He  kept  at  the  levers  until  he  saw  the  handcar 
speed  safely  down  the  main  rails.  Then  he  ran 
to  the  telephone  and  called  up  the  limits  tower. 

There  was  no  action,  and  no  response. 

"That's  bad,"  murmured  Ralph — "fuse  burned 
out.  The  lightning  has  put  the  'phone  out  of 
commission.  I  wish  I  understood  things  straight. 
Two  trains  delayed  by  the  wash-out.  The  mail 
ditched.  Bad  shape  all  around,  this,  for  such  a 
night." 

Ralph  wished  he  could  run  up  to  the  dis- 
patcher's office  and  get  more  information  at  the 
depot.  This  he  dared  not  do,  however.  He 
paced  up  and  down  restlessly,  wondering  how 
serious  the  mishap  to  the  mail  might  be. 

It  was  precisely  one  o'clock  when  the  dial  hand 
moved  with  a  kind  of  an  electric  tang.  It  circled 
and  then  shot  back,  as  if  directed  by  an  erratic 
hand. 


156         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ralph  watched  it  intently.  That  dial  disc  was 
his  only  present  reliable  communication  with  the 
outside  railroad  world.  The  pointer  vibrated, 
then  halted. 

"Through  freight,  track  7,"  it  directed. 

"Why,  exclaimed  Ralph,  "that  can't  be!  The 
through  freight  is  stalled  at  Acton  behind  the 
express,  and — why,  she's  coming  now !" 

He  could  hardly  believe  his  eyes.  Usually  a 
minute  and  a  half  elapsed  before  a  train  an- 
nounced at  the  limits  showed  coming  around  the 
curve. 

Now,  boring  the  water-laden  air  with  a  quiver 
that  showed  full  speed,  a  great  laboring  headlight 
glared  along  the  in  tracks. 

Had  Ralph  caught  her  sooner,  he  could  have 
switched  onto  any  one  of  the  half  a  dozen  tracks 
which  were  empty.  She  was  now  past  all  the 
main  switches,  however,  except  the  in  passenger 
track  7  and  inside  6. 

"It  is  No.  3,  the  through  freight,  sure  enough," 
said  Ralph,  recognizing  the  approaching  train 
with  the  intuitive  sense  of  experience.  The  head- 
light, the  sway  of  the  ponderous  locomotive,  the 
very  sound  of  the  long  train,  vague  as  it  was, 
told  a  sure  story  to  his  practiced  eye  and  ear. 

"She  must  have  got  around  the  wash-out  and 
ahead    of    the    express,"    said    Ralph.      "Why, 


A  DESPERATE  CHANCE  157 

there's  some  mistake  at  the  limits.  She  should 
have  been  given  the  long  freight  siding,  and  she 
has  passed  it,  and — track  7.     It's  in  use!" 

Ralph,  darting  to  the  levers,  uttered  these 
words  in  a  great  hollow  shout. 

Lever  7,  operating  the  switches  of  that  set  of 
rails,  had  a  card  hung  to  its  handle.  These  cards 
were  always  used  nights  as  a  guide  to  the  lever- 
men,  where  any  special,  extra,  or  transient  cars, 
passenger  or  freight,  were  stationary. 

The  sight  of  the  card  recalled  a  startling  fact 
to  Ralph:  at  the  depot  end  of  track  7  lay  the 
occupied  tourist  car  of  an  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin 
theatrical  troupe  which  was  then  visiting  Stanley 
Junction. 

"Something  wrong  at  limits — everything  wrong 
here!"  panted  Ralph,  his  heart  suddenly  beating 
like  a  trip-hammer.     "What  shall  I  do?" 

He  shot  a  glance  at  the  nearing  headlight. 
Relying  on  limits  signals,  evidently  expecting  the 
long  freight  siding,  in  the  darkness  and  storm 
taking  no  note  of  outside  switches,  and  behind 
time,  those  in  charge  of  the  through  freight  had 
nearly  full  speed  set. 

Ralph  felt  the  blood  leave  his  face.  Through 
his  mind  in  rapid  sequence  ran  the  plat  of  switches 
at  the  depot  yards. 

"No.  6,  or  destruction!"  he  gasped.     "I've  got 


158         RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

to  make  the  choice.  It's  the  only  track  open. 
Open — no!"  he  added,  with  a  new  thrill  of  appre- 
hension, "but — there's  no  other  way." 

He  pulled  the  lever  that  would  send  the 
through  freight  down  track  6.  Then  a  wild 
tumult  seized  him.  He  darted  for  the  trap.  He 
almost  fell  the  length  of  the  iron-runged  ladder. 
Then  Ralph  sprang  through  the  doorway  and 
tore  across  the  tracks. 

Track  6  was  not  empty.  At  its  bumpered  end 
were  three  old  empty  freights.  Ralph,  however, 
counted  their  destruction  as  of  little  consequence 
as  compared  with  a  crash  on  track  7  into  the 
theatre  car,  holding  perhaps  a  dozen  sleeping  in- 
mates. He  had  made  an  independent  choice.  He 
had  saved  them.  Now,  if  possible,  to  save  the 
freight  train  from  a  collision ! 

As  he  passed  the  switch  he  tore  from  a  pivot  the 
signal  lantern  resting  there.  Carrying  it  in  his 
arms,  he  dashed  forward  diagonally  to  meet  the 
rushing  freight.  Extending  its  red  slide,  he 
waved  frantically  up  and  down  and  across,  yell- 
ing at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

The  locomotive  of  the  through  freight  whizzed 
by  him.  In  the  blur  of  rain  and  radiance  Ralph 
fancied  a  grizzled  head  was  poked  out  through 
the  cab  window.  At  all  events  he  caught  the 
quick,  harsh  whistle  of  the  air  brakes.     A  jolt 


A  DESPERATE  CHANCE  159 

shook  the  long  freights.  His  signal  had  been 
observed. 

Following  the  locomotive  with  his  eye,  Ralph 
saw,  three  hundred  yards  further  on,  a  figure 
suddenly  cleave  the  air.  The  engineer  had  put 
on  full  stop  brakes  and  had  jumped. 

The  train  was  slowing  up.  Would  she  stop  in 
time?  Car  after  car  whirled  by.  Then  crash! 
Far  ahead,  the  last  car  past  him,  Ralph  caughc 
the  ominous  sound,  and  shivered  and  gasped. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE    DOUBLE    WRECK 

Ralph    Fairbanks    had    disobeyed    orders. 

That  was  the  first  overwhelming  thought  that 
rushed  through  the  young  leverman's  mind.  He 
stood  in  the  midst  of  the  storm,  still  clasping  the 
red  switch  light. 

The  echo  of  that  ominous  crash  was  in  his  ears. 
Louder  and  fiercer,  it  seemed,  thumping  away  at 
his  heart  with  a  dull,  depressing  force,  was  the 
realization  that  he  had  violated  the  stringent  in- 
structions of  his  superior,  Jack  Knight:  "Never 
disobey  orders!" 

Something  had  been  wrong  at  the  limits  tower 
— hence,  two  wrecks  within  sixty  minutes.  But 
that  was  not  Ralph's  business.  Limits  had  or- 
dered track  7.  He  had  sent  the  through  freight 
down  track  6.  No  matter  what  humane  sense 
had  prompted  his  choice,  the  railroad  regime  was 
strictly  inviolable.  There  had  been  a  wreck,  how 
bad  he  did  not  yet  know,  and  he  was  responsible 
for  it. 

The  freight  had  come  to  a  stop.  Lanterns  now 
160 


THE  DOUBLE  WRECK  \Q\ 

began  to  flit  in  its  vicinity.  Above  the  raging 
tumult  of  the  storm,  vague  shouts  reached 
Ralph's  ear. 

A  brakeman,  carrying  a  lantern,  came  rushing 
towards  him. 

"What  has  happened?"   asked  Ralph   faintly. 

"Towerman?"  queried  the  brakeman  sharply, 
flashing  the  lantern  in  Ralph's  face.  "Only  a 
shake-up  at  my  end.  What's  ahead,  I  don't 
know.     Nothing  coming  behind?" 

"No — get  me  word  how  bad  the  smash-up  is, 
will  you?"  and,  recalled  to  his  duty  by  the  brake- 
man's  appearance,  Ralph  hurried  back  to  the 
tower. 

He  closed  the  switch  on  track  6.  Then,  some- 
what faint  and  badly  worried,  he  sank  into  the 
armchair.  Nothing  was  due  on  regular  schedule. 
The  express  was  reported  stalled.  Still,  so  many 
strange  mix-ups  had  occurred  during  the  night, 
that  Ralph  watched  the  dial,  on  the  keen  edge  of 
suspense  and  distraction. 

"Hello !"  he  cried  finally,  and  started  to  his 
feet  in  wonder. 

The  dial  disc  transfixed  his  glance.  It  had 
begun  to  work.  Within  thirty  seconds  it  indi- 
cated as  many  varied  orders.  It  scheduled 
freights,  passengers,  "chasers."  It  called  for  one 
switch  after  another. 


162         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

In  stupefaction  Ralph  watched  the  brass  index 
finger  flit,  whirl,  and  tremble.  Then  it  circled 
round  and  round  several  times,  vibrated  at 
"blank,"   and   rested  there. 

"Why!"  gasped  the  stupefied  Ralph,  "am  I 
crazy,  or  is  someone  else  at  the  other  end  of  the 
line?" 

Voices  below  made  Ralph  start,  listen,  and 
watch.  A  grimed  face  came  up  through  the 
trap.  Ralph  recognized  the  fireman  of  the 
through  freigh 

"Quick!"  he  spoke— "how  bad?" 

"Three  empty  freights  kindling  wood,  front  of 
the  engine  stove  in,"  reported  the  fireman. 

"No  one  hurt?" 

"Not  a  soul." 

"Thank  Heaven !"  murmured  Ralph  presently. 

"I  jumped,  after  the  shutting  down  of  the  air 
brakes,"  went  on  the  fireman.  "So  did  Foster. 
But  say,  kid,  why  in  the  world  didn't  you  give 
us  the  long  siding?" 

"Orders  from  limits  for  7,"  explained  Ralph. 
"It  was  a  desperate  chance.  I  took  it,  and  gave 
you  6,  for  7  was  in  use  with  a  sleeper.  A're  you 
going  to  the  depot?  Please  tell  the  dispatcher 
our  'phone  is  burned  out,  something  wrong  at 
limits,  and  to  send  to  me  for  a  report  right 
away." 


THE  DOUBLE  WRECK  163 

"There's  a  mix-up  all  along  the  line,  the  way 
things  look,"  observed  the  fireman,  disappearing. 

Ralph  took  up  a  position  at  an  open  window. 
He  watched  the  lanterns  bobbing  along  the  tracks 
and  at  the  depot. 

He  was  unnerved  and  in  a  direful  condition  of 
suspense.  Only  the  glad  thought  that  no  loss  of 
life  attended  the  collision  sustained  him. 

The  train  dispatcher's  assistant  put  in  an  ap- 
pearance in  about  twenty  minutes.  He  looked 
flustered  as  he  told  Ralph  that  they  had  two 
wrecks  on  their  hands. 

Ralph  made  his  report  clearly,  concisely.  His 
visitor  looked  astonished  as  he  learned  of  the 
amazing  gyrations  of  the  signal  dial. 

"You're  a  brick,  just  the  same,  Fairbanks!" 
said  the  man,  as  Ralph  concluded  his  report.  "If 
the  freight  had  got  track  7,  there  would  have 
been  a  fine  slaughter  for  the  railroad  company 
to  pay  for." 

"I  disobeyed  orders,"  observed  Ralph  in  a  de- 
pressed tone. 

"Whose  orders?" 

"Limits." 

"Limits  seems  to  have  made  a  fine  mess  of  it 
all  along  the  line,  and  we  are  going  to  find  out 
why,  very  promptly." 

"I  wish  you  would  send  a  messenger  for  Mr. 


164         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Knight,"  said  Ralph.  "I  think  he  ought  to  be 
here  to  straighten  things  out." 

"We  have  done  that  already." 

"Look — see!"  cried  Ralph  suddenly. 

The  dial  began  its  strange  manifestations  again. 
The  man  from  the  dispatcher's  office  started, 
gulped,  and  with  a  mutter  of  astonishment  and 
concern  ran  down  the  trap  ladder. 

The  depot  yards  became  a  scene  of  activity  as 
the  minutes  wore  on. 

The  seriousness  of  the  occasion,  with  three 
trains  out  of  service,  called  for  immediate  atten- 
tion. Handcars  were  flitting  hither  and  thither. 
Ralph  was  kept  busy  sending  them  on  their 
way. 

The  master  mechanic,  depot  master,  and  Jack 
Knight  made  up  one  handcar  load.  Two  engines 
with  tackle  and  relief  cars  came  down  from  the 
roundhouse,  lining  up  at  the  side  of  the  through 
freight. 

Ralph  was  fully  watchful  and  employed  for  the 
next  hour.  Then  he  became  dreadfully  anxious. 
A  handcar  bolted  right  under  the  windows  of 
the  switch  tower.  The  master  mechanic  and 
Jack  Knight  got  off,  and  came  up  the  ladder  a 
minute  later. 

Ralph  stood  holding  to  the  armchair,  a  picture 
of  suspense.     The  master  mechanic  looked  grave 


THE  DOUBLE  WRECK  155 

and  bothered.  On  the  contrary,  bluff  and  hearty 
as  ever,  Knight  came  forward.  He  grasped 
Ralph  by  both  shoulders,  swinging  him  back- 
wards and  rorwards  in  a  playful,  encouraging 
way. 

"Shake,  old  fellow !"  he  sang  out,  slipping  one 
hand  down  one  arm  and  gripping  Ralph's  fingers 
heartily. 

"Why?"  asked  Ralph  with  a  half-smile. 
"Good-bye?  I  suppose  that  is  the  programme 
for  me,"  he  added,  with  an  anxious  look  at  the 
master  mechanic. 

"What's  that?"  demanded  old  Jack  keenly. 
"Oh,  on  account  of  the  through  freight? 
Humph!  If  the  Great  Northern  don't  appre- 
ciate the  wise,  wide-awake  common  sense  that 
saw  the  difference  between  three  old  box  cars  and 
eleven  precious  human  lives,  I'll  take  my  walking 
papers  instanter.  Is  that  right,  Mr.  Blake?" 
challenged   Knight. 

"Yes,"  nodded  the  master  mechanic,  "your 
sentiment  is  right,  Mr.  Knight.  I  have  nothing 
but  praise  for  the  good  judgment  young  Fair- 
banks has  shown." 

"But  I  disobeyed  orders,"  suggested  Ralph  in 
an  uncertain  tone. 

"Orders?"  sniffed  Knight — "yes,  luckily!  A 
crazy  man's  order." 


166         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?"  inquired  Ralph  in 
perplexity. 

"What  I  say.  For  three  hours  the  limits  tower 
has  been  in  charge  of  a  stark,  raving  lunatic— 
the  Great  Northern  railroad  system  the  plaything 
of  a  madman.  Never  has  this  company  been  so 
near  wreck  and  ruin.  And  you,  Fairbanks," 
added  the  veteran  towerman,  with  a  tender,  fath. 
erly  touch  on  the  arm  of  his  young  protege^ 
"you  saved  your  end  of  the  line!" 


CHAPTER   XX 


THE   CRAZY   ORDERS 


All  Stanley  Junction  was  agog  with  the  story 
of  the  "crazy"  train  orders  the  day  after  the 
storm. 

It  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  occurrences 
of  risk  and  danger  ever  known  in  the  history  of 
the  Great  Northern. 

Expert  railroad  men  looked  grave,  as  the  facts 
came  out.  Citizens  generally  shuddered,  as  they 
realized  how  nearly  the  caprice  of  a  mad  lever- 
man  had  come  to  causing  wide-spread  death  and 
disaster. 

Ralph  Fairbanks  himself  was  thrilled  and 
amazed,  as  he  learned  from  Jack  Knight's  lips 
the  the  facts  of  the  case. 

From  ten  o'clock  the  evening  the  storm  until 
nearly  two  o'clock  the  ensuing  morning,  a  mad- 
man had  controlled  the  Great  Northern  train 
system  at  Stanley  Junction,  out  and  in. 

For  over  three  hours,  therefore,  Ralph,  at  the 
depot  switch  tower,  had  been  the  plaything  of  a 
crazed,  delirious  human  being,  who,  by  force  and 
167 


168         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

cunning,  had  usurped  the  place  of  trusty,  experi- 
enced old  Joe   Bryson. 

This  was  the  way  it  had  all  come  about : 

When  the  master  mechanic  and  Jack  Knight 
reached  the  limits  tower  after  the  report  of  the 
double  wreck,  they  had  found  it  in  total  dark- 
ness. 

The  ladder  trap  was  bolted.  They  had  to 
break  the  trap  open.  Entering  the  tower  room 
and  securing  a  light,  they  discovered  a  strange 
and  startling  condition  of  affairs. 

Lying  on  the  floor  in  a  heavy,  leaden  sleep,  was 
Bryson.  Crouching  in  a  corner,  with  lurid  eyes, 
physical  strength  exhaused,  but  raving  in  wild 
delirium,  was  Doc  Bortree. 

The  telephone  receiver  was  smashed,  and  the 
transmitter  lay  torn  loose,  wires  and  all,  on  the 
floor.  Other  parts  of  the  tower  equipment  were 
in  rare  disorder.  The  west  levers  were  set  in  all 
kinds  of  erratic  and  impracticable  shapes. 

It  took  the  two  railroad  men  fully  half  an  hour 
to  restore  order  from  the  chaos  in  the  tower  and 
along  the  tracks.  It  took  them  double  that  time 
to  arouse  Bryson,  and  to  get  Bortree  into  a  state 
of  partial  coherency.  They  sent  messengers  to 
Bortree's  home.  They  listened  to  Bryson's  con- 
fused story.  Then,  putting  this  and  that  to- 
gether, they  finally  got  the  truth  of  affairs. 


THE  CRAZY  ORDERS  jQg 

Doc  Bortree,  as  Ralph  knew,  had  been  confined 
to  his  bed  with  a  high  fever  for  nearly  a  week. 
That  was  why,  compelled  to  share  two  long  shifts 
with  Knight  alone,  Ralph  happened  to  be  on  all- 
night  duty  at  the  present  time. 

It  seemed  that  early  in  the  evening,  Bortree's 
sister  had  left  her  brother  sleeping  quietly.  He 
appeared  to  be  on  the  mend. 

About  ten  o'clock  the  sick  leverman  must  have 
had  a  relapse  into  delirium.  Railroad  service 
was  his  daily  routine.  His  brain,  running  in  that 
line,  had  suggested  to  him  a  whimsical  and  irra- 
tional course.  This  he  had  carried  out  with  all 
the  cunning  of  a  real  madman 

He  had  taken  a  bottle  of  cordial  and  had 
poured  into  it  a  sleeping  potion.  He  had  got 
into  his  clothes,  left  the  room  by  opening  a  win- 
dow, and,  breasting  the  violent  tempest,  had 
made  for  and  reached  the  limits  tower. 

Joe  Bryson  afterwards,  in  telling  his  story, 
said  that  the  bedraggled  appearance  of  Bortree 
was  startling  enough.  His  actions  were  quite 
lucid,  however.  All  he  noticed  peculiar  about 
his  talk  was  the  persistency  and  strange  delight 
with  which  Bortree  alluded  to  an  order  he  ex- 
pected to  receive  from  the  superintendent  to  take 
charge  of  the  entire  train  dispatching  service  the 
next  day. 


170         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

When  Bortree  produced  the  bottle  and  told  that 
it  was  a  mild,  pleasant  wine  the  doctor  had 
prescribed  for  him,  Bryson  indulged  in  a  glass — < 
"for  companionship's  sake."  Then  he  remem- 
bered nothing  further  until  awakened  by  the 
master  mechanic  and  Jack  Knight. 

As  soon  as  Bortree  had  disposed  of  his  com- 
panion,  he  began  his  mad,   riotous  work. 

All  kinds  of  exaggerated  ideas  must  have  filled 
his  mind.  The  reader  has  already  seen  how  his 
crazy  orders  operated.  His  own  work  at  the 
limits  had  ditched  the  midnight  mail.  His  in- 
structions to  Ralph  had  sent  the  through  freight 
crashing  into  the  three  freight  empties  at 
terminus. 

Finally,  exhausted  after  his  mad  work  at  the 
levers,  Bortree  had  commenced  a  work  of  general 
destruction.  When  through,  he  had  extinguished 
the  lights  and  lapsed  into  a  weak  delirium  in 
which  the  two  railroad  men  had  finally  found 
him. 

"There  should  always  be  a  team  at  the  limits 
tower,"  was  Knight's  ultimate  comment  on  the 
affair. 

"Yes,"  the  master  mechanic  assented — "sick- 
ness, enmity,  a  burned-out  wire,  a  dozen  things 
might  come  up  where  one  man  would  be  helpless. 
If  it  is  only  a  messenger,  we  must  not  again  leave 


THE  CRAZY  ORDERS  \^\ 

these  important  points  at  the  mercy  of  chance  and 
accident." 

Ralph  made  a  note  of  this  suggestion.  He 
determined  when  the  right  moment  came  to  speak 
a  good  word  for  Young  Slavin. 

He  had  never  been  more  tired  and  sleepy  than 
when  he   reached   home   that   morning. 

Ralph  ate  a  hurried  breakfast.  He  explained 
only  casually  the  happenings  of  the  night  to  his 
mother.  Getting  to  bed  promptly,  he  put  in 
ten  hours  of  the  solidest  sleep  that  he  had  ever 
enjoyed. 

He  found  his  mother  quite  nervous  and  wor- 
ried when  he  reported  for  his  late  afternoon  din- 
ner. Mrs.  Fairbanks  had  learned  from  a  neigh- 
bor of  the  startling  occurrences  of  the  previous 
night. 

"I  am  all  unstrung  over  this  railroad  business, 
Ralph,"  she  said.  "I  would  feel  easier  in  my 
mind  if  you  could  transfer  to  some  branch  of  the 
service  where  you  were  not  constantly  meeting 
these  terrible  dangers." 

"What!  my  own  dear  mother  going  back  on 
me  in  the  midst  of  my  ambitions!"  cried  Ralph 
in  a  tone  of  playful  raillery.  "Oh,  surely,  never! 
I  hope  you  wouldn't  advise  me  to  follow  old  Far- 
rington's  grand  suggestion — for  his  own  benefit; 
get  a  clerical  position  at  the  general  offices  at 


172  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Springfield,  and — as  he  puts  it — 'be  a  gentle- 
man.' " 

"No,  Ralph,  I  should  not  like  to  have  you  leave 
Stanley  Junction,  where  you  have  made  such  a 
good  record,"  responded  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  "but 
think  of  the  fearful  responsibilities  of  your 
position." 

"I  do,"  answered  Ralph  gravely,  "and  that  is 
why  I  am  going  to  stick.  Mother,  someone  has 
to  face  these  serious  issues.  Perhaps  my  clear 
head,  and  willing  hands,  and  genuine  love  for  the 
business,  fit  me  to  be  just  the  person  to  fill  the 
gap  when  these  unavoidable  troubles  come  along. 
Besides,  if  someone  does  not  go  through  the  ap- 
prenticeship, where  will  the  service  be  when  Jack 
Knight  and  the  other  old  hands  have  retired?  I 
want  to  be,  as  I  expect  to  be,  a  thorough  railroad 
man,"  pursued  Ralph  with  resolution,  "  and  first- 
class,  or  nothing.  In  order  to  do  so,  I  must  know 
every  step  of  the  service,  from  roundhouse  to  train 
dispatcher's  desk.  I  have  started  up  the  ladder. 
I  can't  afford  to  slip  one  rung.  If  I  get  jolted,  I 
intend  to  hang  on  all  the  closer." 

The  widow  was  silent.  Her  son's  earnest  de- 
termination consoled  her,  somehow.  Yes,  she 
reflected,  Ralph  had  braved  perils  and  had  saved 
the  lives  of  others,  where  one  less  brave  and  self- 
reliant  might  have  failed.     So  far  he  had  proven 


THE  CRAZY  ORDERS  173 

himself  "the  right  man  in  the  right  place." 
Secretly  she  murmured  a  fervent  prayer  for  his 
safety  and  guidance,  and  tried  to  be  content  until 
he  should  reach  smoother  and  less  risky  paths  of 
service. 

Ralph  received  an  official  assurance  from  the 
superintendent  through  loyal  old  Jack  Knight 
that  afternoon,  that  his  action  in  dealing  with  the 
crazy  orders  had  won  the  highest  commendation 
of  the  railroad  company. 

The  following  day  he  spoke  about  Young  Sla- 
vin  to  Knight.  The  next  day  the  latter  informed 
him  that  on  the  first  of  the  month  the  master 
mechanic  had  agreed  to  pass  on  the  application 
which  Slavin  was  to  file  in  the  meantime.  Noth- 
ing unforseen  happening,  it  looked  as  if  the 
sturdy  young  pugilist  would  speedily  have  a 
chance  to  exercise  his  muscle  in  some  department 
of  the  Great  Northern  service. 

Pleasant  routine  succeeded  for  some  days  for 
Ralph  to  the  exciting  episodes  of  the  week  previ- 
ous. Some  changes  were  made  on  the  limits 
tower,  and  the  day  man  there  transferred  to  the 
depot  yards. 

Ralph  was  back  on  the  shift  he  preferred;  four 
hours  in  the  morning,  and  four  hours  in  the  after- 
noon. 

He  had  not  heard  again  from  Van.     As  to 


174         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Mort  Bemis  and  Ike  Slump,  they  had  flashed  into 
town,  thrown  away  a  lot  of  money  along  lower 
Railroad  Street,  and  had  again  disappeared. 

Ralph  met  Slavin  one  day.  The  latter  was  de- 
lighted over  the  prospect  of  soon  getting  at  work 
for  the  railroad  company.  His  face  scowled, 
however,  as  Ralph  asked  if  he  had  seen  or  heard 
anything  concerning  Ike  and  Mort. 

"Why,  yes,"  answered  Slavin,  "I  heard  they 
were  cutting  a  dash  up  at  the  racetrack  at  Spring- 
field. Plenty  of  money,  and  bragging  that  they 
owned  a  rich  old  magnate  here  at  Stanley  Junc- 
tion. I'd  go  gunning  for  them,  if  I  wasn't  wait- 
ing to  hear  from  my  railroad  job." 

"Oh,  leave  them  alone — why  bother  your  head 
about  them?"  suggested  Ralph. 

"No,  Fairbanks,"  dissented  Slavin  stubbornly. 
"I  want  those  medals,  or  I  want  their  hides.  I'm 
not  a  good  enough  Salvationer  just  yet  to  forgive 
those  villains.  I  can't  wipe  them  off  the  slate 
till  I've  had  one  last  round  with  them." 

Gasper  Farrington  had  completed  the  switch 
spur  to  the  factory.  Ralph  learned  that  he  had 
invited  a  heavy  damage  suit  by  crossing  the  lot  of 
a  poor  old  invalid  widow,  who  occupied  a  house 
next  to  that  where  Mrs.  Davis  had  formerly 
lived. 

He  heard  a  good  many  comments  on  this  last 


THE  CRAZY  ORDERS  175 

act  of  the  selfish,  tyrannical  magnate.  There  wa9 
some  current  criticism,  too,  as  to  his  going  on  the 
bonds  of  the  idle  scapegrace,  Ike  Slump.  Far- 
rington  pretended  that  he  had  bailed  out  Ike  be- 
cause his  father  was  an  old  acquaintance.  Ralph 
knew  better,  but  held  his  peace.  He  had  faith 
that  the  real  truth  would  come  out,  sooner  or 
later. 

With  entire  confidence  in  Van  Sherwin,  he 
believed  that  he  would  soon  receive  some  word 
from  that  good  friend  to  show  he  had  been  quietly 
working  in  the  dark  all  this  time. 

About  five  o'clock  one  afternoon  a  barefooted 
urchin  Ralph  did  not  know  by  name  came  up  the 
switch  tower  ladder.  Ralph  was  alone,  but  ex- 
pected Knight  to  relieve  him  at  five  o'clock. 

"Say,"  projected  the  frowsy-headed  lad,  star- 
ing curiously  around  the  place,  "you  Mr.  Fair- 
banks?" 

"That's  right,  my  little  man,"  answered  Ralph. 

"Say,  you  know  Mr.  Stiggs?" 

"Slightly,"  nodded  Ralph,  with  a  smile. 

"Well,  he  sent  me  here.  He  said  to  fetch  a 
message  to  you." 

Ralph  recalled  the  fact  now  that  Mr.  Stiggs 
had  not  shown  up  about  the  yards  for  the  past 
two  days.  This  was  an  unusual  thing  for  the 
old  railroad  pensioner. 


176         RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Is  Mr.  Stiggs  sick?"  he  inquired  with  interest 

"Dunno,"  answered  the  youngster.  "It  was 
his  wife  I  talked  with.  She  said  Mr.  Stiggs 
would  like  to  have  you  call  about  seven  o'clock,  if 
convenient.    He  wants  to  see  you." 

"Very  well,"  said  Ralph.  "Are  you  to  see  her 
again?" 

"Why,  I  can." 

"Then  tell  her  I  will  drop  around  at  seven 
o'clock  this  evening." 

The  urchin  lingered.  He  was  a  shrewd- faced 
little  fellow. 

"Say,"  he  again  projected,  "Mrs.  Stiggs  didn't 
have  any  change." 

"Didn't  have— oh,  I  see !"  laughed  Ralph.  "All 
right,  son — there's  a  nickel." 

Ralph  thought  little  of  this  incident  for  the 
remainder  of  the  afternoon.  He  fancied  that 
Stiggs  might  be  indisposed,  and  had  some  mission 
for  him  to  execute. 

He  went  home,  ate  his  supper,  and  strolled 
slowly  in  the  direction  of  the  Stiggs  home  about 
dusk. 

There  was  a  light  in  the  rear  room,  and  the 
front  door  was  open.    Ralph  knocked. 

"Come  in,"  sounded  a  vague  direction  from  the 
little  front  parlor. 

Ralph   stepped   into   the  hall  and  crossed   the 


THE  CRAZY  ORDERS  177 

threshold  of  the  parlor.  He  made  out  a  figure 
dimly,  standing  by  a  chair. 

"That  you,  Mr.  Stiggs?"  he  observed.  "Pretty 
dark  here.    Hold  on — what  is  this?'' 

Ralph  started  back.  The  figure  behind  him 
had  made  a  jump  and  had  seized  either  arm  of 
the  youth  by  the  wrist. 

At  the  same  moment  a  second  person  sprang 
from  the  shadows  behind  Ralph.  A  rope  en- 
circled the  young  leverman's  body,  and  Ralph 
Fairbanks  was  a  prisoner. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

IKE    SLUMPS    "NUTCRACKER" 

Ralph  was  taken  completely  off  his  guard. 
He  struggled  violently,  but  his  assailants  had  the 
advantage. 

One  of  them  pinioned  his  arms.  The  other 
tied  the  rope  about  them.  A  second  rope  was 
whipped  about  his  ankles,  and  secured. 

"Push  him  down,"  spoke  a  quick  voice. 

They  half-lifted,  half-dropped  their  prisoner. 
Ralph  was  thrust  down  into  an  old  easy-chair. 

"Now  then,  shut  the  door  and  fetch  the  lamp," 
was  the  next  order. 

Ralph  was  too  astonished  to  say  anything  for 
a  minute  or  two.  One  of  his  captors  flitted  from 
the  room.  The  front  door  slammed  shut.  Then 
the  fellow  ran  to  the  kitchen  and  brought  in  a 
lamp  and  placed  it  on  a  table. 

"Well,"  he  said  with  a  great  chuckling  guf- 
faw, "how's  Mr.  Ralph  Fairbanks?" 

"Slump — Ike  Slump,  eh?"  spoke  Ralph  calmly, 
but  following  a  start  of  some  surprise. 

"Don't  miss  me,  Ralphy,"  suggested  Slump's 
companion  in  a  tone  of  sneering  mockery. 

178 


IKE  SLUMP'S  "NUTCRACKER"  179 

"And  Mort  Bemis?"  added  Ralph  coolly. 
"Good-evening-,  gentlemen — what  can  I  do  for 
you?" 

"Nervy!"  sneered  Slump — "but  it  won't  last. 
It's  what  we're  going  to  do  that  will  interest  yon, 
Ralph  Fairbanks." 

Ralph  looked  over  the  enemy  with  a  steadfast 
glance.  They  were  certainly  "dressed  to  kill." 
He  noticed  that  their  clothing  was  of  the  most 
expensive  grade.  For  all  that,  it  was  disordered 
and  ill-fitting. 

They  looked  as  they  had  not  slept  regularly 
for  a  week,  and  when  they  did.  seemed  to  have 
made  any  old  place  their  resting-spot.  Their 
faces  bore  marks  of  dissipation. 

Their  whole  bearing  indicated  that  the  money 
they  had  recently  come  into  had  helped  them 
down  the  road  of  idleness  and  crime. 

"We've  come  back  to  the  Junction  specially  to 
see  you,"  observed  Bemis.  sinking  upon  a  sofa 
opposite  their  helpless  prisoner. 

"Yes,  unfinished  business,  ha !  ha !"  jeered  Ike 
Slump,  looking  mightily  bad  and  vicious  as  he 
proceeded  to  light  a  cigarette.  "We  owe  you 
one,  as  you'll  perhaps  remember.  You  put  the 
police  onto  me." 

Ralph  had  not  done  this.  As  the  reader  knows, 
it  was  the  act  of  Van  Sherwin.    Ralph,  however, 


180         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

did  not  care  to  enlighten  his  captors  as  to  the  real 
facts  of  the  case. 

"And  you  stole  my  job  from  me,"  added  Mort 
Bemis  savagely.  "You've  put  Young  Slavin  up 
to  queer  us,  too." 

"So,"  resumed  Slump,  "seeing  we  did  one  good 
job  for  a  certain  liberal  gentleman  in  Stanley 
Junction,  we'll  try  and  please  him  in  another. 
At  the  same  time,  we  get  good  and  even  with  you 
for  ourselves." 

"I  can  easily  guess  you  might  please  Gasper 
Farrington  with  anything  that  means  harm  to 
me,  if  that  is  what  you  are  getting  at,"  observed 
Ralph  pointedly. 

"Who  mentioned  Farrington?"  demanded 
Slump. 

"He  went  on  your  bond.  It  is  pretty  easy  tb 
guess  you  are  in  cahoots  with  him  in  some  way," 
bluntly  retorted  Ralph. 

Mort  Bemis  got  up  from  his  seat  and  strode  up 
and  down  the  room.  Through  a  long  tirade  of 
■his  fancied  wrongs,  he  worked  himself  up  into  a 
seething  fury,  real  or  pretended.  Ralph's  cool 
unconcern  nettled  him.  Once  or  twice  he  referred 
to  the  saving  of  the  limited,  and  to  other  acts  that 
had  made  Ralph  popular  and  his  friends  proud  of 
him. 

"You  robbed  me  of  my  chance,"  he  snarled. 


IKE  SLUMP'S  "NUTCRACKER"  181 

"If  I'd  have  been  on  deck,  your  luck  would  have 
fallen  to  me.  I'm  out  for  revenge.  I'm  going 
to  pay  you  off." 

"With  bluff  and  blow?"  demanded  Ralph  sar- 
castically. 

Bemis  leaned  over  and  slapped  Ralph's  face. 

"Don't  you  sass  me !"  he  gritted  out.  "It  won't 
be  healthy  for  you." 

"You're  a  mean  coward!"  said  Ralph.  "Give 
me  a  free  show,  and  we'll  see  who  is  the  better 
man." 

"I'll  show  you  something!"  snapped  Bemis 
venomously.  "Do  you  know  what  we  are  going 
to  do  with  you?  I'm  going  to  fix  you,  Ralph 
Fairbanks,  so  you  will  never  crow  over  me — 
you'll  never  pull  another   lever." 

"Jaw  less — get  into  action,"  directed  Ike  Slump 
tartly. 

"Where's  the  fixtures?" 

"Here  they  are." 

Ike  reached  over  to  a  chair  and  picked  up  some- 
thing that  jangled.  Ralph  regarded  the  the  trap- 
like apparatus  disclosed  with  some  interest. 

Bemis  took  it  from  the  hand  of  his  associate. 

"Do  you  know  what  this  is?"  he  inquired  of 
Ralph. 

"I  don't." 

"It's  a  nutcracker,  see?" 


182         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ike  grinned  as  if  that  was  a  big  joke. 

"You're  the  funniest  fellow  in  the  world, 
Mort!"  he  chuckled  gleesomely. 

The  instrument  Bemis  displayed  somewhat 
resembled  a  nutcracker.  It  opened  and  was 
operated  by  hand  pressure.  It  had  fine  grooves. 
These  tallied  to  the  fingers  on  a  human  hand. 

"They  used  that  on  the  scabs,  the  time  of  the 
big  railroad  strike,"  exclaimed  Bemis  grimly. 
"The  strikers  did." 

Ralph  started.  He  recognized  the'  "nut- 
cracker" now.  It  was  one  of  the  brutal  instru- 
ments of  torture  that  had  been  used  to  terrify  and 
cripple  the  men  who  had  taken  the  places  of  the 
strikers,  during  the  labor  troubles  on  the  Great 
Northern  about  a  year  back. 

"We  put  your  hand  in  these  grooves,"  pro- 
ceeded Bemis.  "Crack!  Your  knuckles  are 
gone.  See  ?  The  man  who  can  pull  a  lever  ever 
afterwards  is  a  dandy.     See?" 

"I  see,"  nodded  Ralph,  his  lips  set  firmly, 
though  his  heart  misgave  him.  "Do  you  mean, 
Mort  Bemis,  brute,  coward,  and  traitor,  to  the 
honest  workingman's  cause,  that  you  intend  to 
maim  me  for  life  to  satisfy  a  low,  paltry  spirit  of 
revenge?" 

"Air.  Ralph  Fairbanks,"  declared  Bemis  coolly, 
"I— mean— just— that." 


IKE  SLUMP'S  "NUTCRACKER"  183 

"Have  you  considered  what  this  job  is  likely  to 
cost  you?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"It  didn't  cost  the  strikers  anything,"  jeered 
Ike. 

"I  am  not  mixed  up  in  any  strike,"  observed 
Ralph.  "I  warn  you  I  have  good  friends,  and 
any  such  fiendish  act  as  that  you  contemplate 
will  send  them  on  your  track  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth." 

"That'll  do,"  growled  Bemis.  "Grab  his  hand 
— the  right  one,  Ike." 

"  Got  it — he's  easy  to  handle,"  said  Slump. 

The  young  towerman  was  indeed  easy  to 
handle,  for  the  reason  that  his  arms  were  securely 
surrounded  by  the  ropes,  both  above  and  below 
the  elbows. 

Ike  seized  the  wrist  of  Ralph's  right  hand  and 
Bemis  advanced  with  the  "nutcracker." 

A  cold  shiver  ran  over  Ralph  as  his  fingers 
were  encased  in  the  grooves  of  the  iron  hand. 

He  remembered  having  once  seen  a  victim  of 
the  strike,  a  poor  fellow  who  had  gone  around 
with  the  knuckles  of  one  hand  twisted  so  out  of 
shape  that  he  would  never  be  able  to  straighten 
out  his  fingers  again. 

Ralph  could  not  resist.  If  he  shouted  for  help, 
he  knew  that  he  would  be  brutally  silenced.  He 
thought  of  his  mother,  of  the  bright  ambitions 


184         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

about   to   be   wrecked  by   two   worthless,   cruel 
enemies. 

Then  Ralph  closed  his  eyes.  He  set  his  lips 
firmly,  and  silently  prayed  that  his  wicked  inquis- 
itors would  not  dare  carry  out  fully  their  an- 
nounced programme. 

"I'm  ready,"  sounded  Bemis'  heartless  tones. 

"So  am  I,"  chorused  Ike.  ''You'll  wish  you'd 
minded  your  own  business  and  let  us  alone,  Ralph 
Fairbanks." 

Bemis  began  to  put  the  pressure  on  the  vile 
instrument  of  torture.  Ralph's  breath  came 
quick.    He  felt  his  fingers  compress. 

Chug! 

Ralph  strained  his  hearing  at  the  new  sound. 
He  opened  his  eyes  with  a  thrill. 

The  pressure  on  his  hand  was  relaxed.  The 
"nutcracker,"  released  by  Bemis  with  strange 
suddenness,  dangled  at  Ralph's  finger  tips  for  an 
instant.  Then  it  dropped  harmless  to  the  carpet 
with  a  dull  clang. 

Ralph  saw  something  cleave  the  air  directly  in 
front  of  him.  It  was  a  human  fist.  It  met  the 
broad,  astonished  face  of  Mort  Bemis  squarely. 

That  shuddering,  sickening  sound  echoed  out. 
It  reminded  Ralph  of  the  noise  made  by  a  boy 
playing  with  a  big  lump  of  clay,  and  spatting  it 
violently  against  a  wooden  fence. 


IKE  SLUMPS  "NUTCRACKER"  185 

He  saw  Bemis  fall  back  with  a  roar  of  awful 
pain.  In  that  fleeting  glimpse,  it  looked  to  Ralph 
as  if  Mort's  face  had  been  flattened  out  from  ear 
to  ear.  His  nose  seemed  to  have  disappeared 
In  its  place  was  a  vague  red  blotch  of  color. 

Bemis  fell  flat  backwards,  his  head  striking  a 
chair  and  smashing  off  its  arm. 

"You  next !"  shouted  a  terrible  voice. 

Ike  Slump  had  already  dropped  Ralph's  hand. 
With  a  sharp  cry  of  alarm  he  tried  to  dodge  back. 

Again  that  great  fist  swung  forward.  Ralph 
turned  pale,  and  he  felt  his  flesh  creep. 

As  he  looked,  he  saw  Ike  Slump  reeling. 
There  was  a  ghostly  grin  on  his  face.  His  whole 
lower  row  of  teeth  was  gone. 

"I  said  I'd  do  it,"  spoke  Ralph's  rescuer  and 
the  assailant  of  his  enemies,  "and  I've  kept  my 
.vord." 

Young  Slavin  proceeded  to  liberate  Ralph  from 
the  ropes  that  bound  him. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

A    HEADSTRONG    FRIEND 

Ralph  was  faint  and  dizzy-headed  with  all 
that  had  transpired  in  the  last  twenty  minutes. 

He  felt  that  he  had  been  in  the  peril  of  his  life. 
He  bestowed  a  look  of  immense  gratitude  on 
Slavin. 

"You  came  in  time,"  said  he.  "How  shall  I 
ever  thank  you?" 

"Cut  it  out,"  growled  Slavin  grimly.  "I  ain't 
through  yet.  I've  been  watching  these  skunks 
for  an  hour  or  more.  I  knew  that  Stiggs,  who 
has  gone  on  a  little  jaunt  with  his  wife  to  see  some 
relations,  would  never  give  those  reptiles  the  free 
run  of  his  house.  I  fancied  burglary  at  first. 
Then  when  you  came  I  knew  it  was  something 
deeper.  Well,  it's  the  finishing  touch.  I  sup- 
pose, in  your  usual  soft-  hearted  way,  you  want  to 
beg  them  off  from  further  punishment,  don't 
you?" 

"It  strikes  me  they  have  got  about  all  the 
punishment  they  can  stand  at  present,"  suggested 
Ralph. 

186 


A  HEADSTRONG  FRIEND  187 

"O,  that's  just  a  starter,"  announced  Slavin. 
"Keep  your  eye  on  Slump  for  a  minute." 

Ike  had  fallen  across  the  sofa.  He  was  moan- 
ing- and  half-stunned.  He  kept  moving  his  hand 
over  his  bare  and  tingling  gums,  making  a 
horrible,  hollow,  hissing  sound  every  time  his 
breath  exuded. 

"The  dentist  for  you,"  said  Slavin  in  cold  un- 
concern. "This  one  is  delegated  to  the  hospital, 
I  guess." 

The  speaker  approached  the  prostrate  Bemis. 

"Speak  up,  there,"  growled  Slavin  savagely. 
"I've  a  little  business  with  you,  Mort  Bemis. 
Where  are  those  two  silver  medals  that  you  stole 
from  me?" 

Bemis  only  wriggled  and  groaned.  Slavin 
kicked  him.    He  sat  up  with  a  howl  of  pain. 

"Pawned,"  he  whimpered. 

"Where?" 

"At  Barry's  cigar  store." 

"For  how  much?" 

"Two  dollars." 

"Hand  it  over." 

"I  haven't  a  cent.  Oh,  you've  half  killed  me. 
Oh,  my  head !  my  head !  Don't — don't  hit  me 
again.  Slump  has  some  money.  Pay  him,  Ike, 
pay  him." 

Slavin  advanced  from  Bemis,  now  sitting  up 


188         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

on  the  floor,  towards  Ike,  with  a  menacing  man- 
ner. 

"I'll  pay,  I'll  pay,"  whined  Ike.  "Here,  here. 
I  haven't  go  any  change.  Five  dollars,"  and 
with  celerity  he  extended  a  banknote. 

"Three  for  delay  and  damages,"  stated  Slavin, 
coolly  pocketing  the  money.  "Now  then,  you 
two,  walk  humble,  or  I'll  finish  this  job  right  here 
and  now." 

Slavin  took  up  the  ropes  that  had  bound  Ralph. 
Quaking  with  mortal  terror,  Bemis  and  Slump  in 
turn  allowed  him  unresistingly  to  tie  their  arms 
behind  them. 

Slavin  picked  up  the  "nutcracker."  He  looked 
it  over  and  placed  it  in  his  pocket. 

"If  that  bit  of  evidence  don't  send  you  over  the 
road,  I  know  what  will,"  he  observed  grimly. 
"March." 

He  forced  the  two  prisoners  forward,  holding 
to  an  arm  of  each.  As  they  got  outside,  Ralph 
asked : 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  them, 
Slavin?" 

"Anxious  to  know,  are  you?" 

"Yes." 

"Then  keep  us  company,  and  see.  Oh,  I'm  not 
sassy,  Fairbanks.  I'm  only  doing  what  you 
ought  to  have  done  the  first  break  they  made  at 


A  HEADSTRONG  FRIEND  189 

you — called  in  the  law.  These  fellows  are 
dangerous.     I'm  going  to  cage  them." 

The  prisoners  spoke  not  a  word.  Bemis  had 
received  a  fearful  fistic  punishment,  and  was  blub- 
bering. Ike  Slump  kept  up  a  mumbling  sound 
with  his  lips,  as  if  trying  to  get  used  to  the  lack 
of  teeth. 

Slavin  led  them  through  the  town  by  dark  and 
unfrequented  streets.  When  they  reached  the 
railroad  tracks,  he  made  for  a  crossings  shanty. 

The  flagman  had  gone  home  for  the  night,  but 
the  door  was  secured  by  a  catch  only.  Slavin 
marched  his  prisoners  inside,  drew  a  lantern  from 
under  a  bench,  pushed  them  to  the  bench,  and  lit 
the  lantern 

"You  rest  a  while,"  he  directed  them  "Court 
will  open  soon.  Fairbanks,  will  you  do  an  er- 
rand for  me?" 

"What  is  it,  Slavin?" 

"I  promised  the  road  detective,  Bob  Adair,  to 
send  him  word  when  I  found  these  fellows." 

"I'm  out  on  bail.  They  can't  bother  me  till 
my  trial  comes  off,"  mumbled  Ike  Slump,  making 
a  grimacing,  painful  job  of  talking  intelligently. 

"Rest  easy,"  advised  Slavin  grimly.  "This  is 
quite  another  round.     Find  him,  Fairbanks." 

"You  think  that  is  best,  do  you?"  inquired 
Ralph.    "These  fellows " 


190         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"See  here,  Fairbanks !"  cried  Slavin,  almost 
angrily,  "you'd  actually  let  them  go,  after  they 
had  pretty  nigh  put  you  out  of  commission  for- 
ever. In  this  case  I  don't  want  your  advice,  good 
as  it  usually  is.  I  know  my  programme,  and  I 
intend  to  carry  it  out  to  the  last  letter." 

Ralph  saw  that  it  was  useless  to  oppose  his 
vigorous  friend  and  champion.  He  left  the 
shanty  forthwith,  and  went  up  to  the  depot.  It 
was  some  time  before  he  could  locate  Air.  Adair. 
When  he  finally  found  him,  and  explained  simply 
that  Slavin  wished  to  see  him,  the  road  detective 
joined  him  briskly,  and  look  pleased. 

"About  Slump,  I  suppose?"  he  inquired 
eagerly. 

"I  tli ink  it  is,"  answered  Ralph. 

"Good,"  said  Adair.  "The  company  thinks 
that  bailing  out  business  was  rushed  through 
The  bond  was  only  five  hundred  dollars.  They 
don't  understand  old  Farrington's  peculiar  inter- 
est in  the  matter,  and  we  have  been  ready  to  re- 
arrest Slump  for  a  week." 

Adair  gave  prodigious  start  as,  entering  the 
crossings  shanty,  his  eyes  lit  on  the  faces  of  Sla- 
vin's  two  prisoners. 

"Whew!"  he  whistled  slowly — "you  seem  to 
have  had  some  trouble  with  your  friends,  Mr. 
Slavin." 


A  HEADSTRONG  FRIEND  191 

"You  hear  my  story,  and  see  if  I  gave  them 
any  more  than  they  deserved,"  said  Slavin,  and 
he  stood  up,  looking  like  a  judge  and  talking  like 
a  judge,  and  narrated  the  incidents  of  the  preced- 
ing hour. 

"Now  then,  Mr.  Adair,"  added  Slavin,  "these 
fellows  brag  of  having  a  friend  in  that  old  miser, 
Gasper  Farrington.  I  tell  you  that  I  happen  to 
know  that  he  has  tried  all  kinds  of  ways  to  scare 
and  bribe  my  friend  here,  Fairbanks,  away  from 
Stanley  Junction.  I  suppose  he's  rich,  and  so 
tricky  you  can't  connect  him  with  their  doings, 
but  you  can  cage  these  fellows  safely,  and  I  want 
you  to  do  it." 

"The  railroad  company  will  certainly  insist 
that  Slump's  bond  be  raised  from  five  hundred 
dollars,"  spoke  Adair.  "You  told  me  that  Bemis 
very  nearly  wrecked  a  train  by  magnetizing  the 
levers  at  the  depot  switch  tower.  Can  you  prove 
it?" 

"I  can,"  nodded  Slavin  emphatically. 

"Very  good.  To-night's  business  there  is  no 
question  about.  It's  a  case  of  murderous  assault 
and  attempted  mayhem.  I  shall  see  the  prosecut- 
ing attorney  at  once,  and  demand  that  each  of 
these  prisoners  be  held  in  heavy  bonds." 

"I  think  that  will  hold  them,"  said  Slavin,  in  a 
tone  of  satisfaction.     "I've  got  a  charge  against 


192         RALPH  IS'. THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

them,  myself.  They  robbed  me  of  two  silver 
medals." 

"We  will  take  them  at  once  before  a  magis- 
trate," said  Adair.  "You'll  have  to  subscribe  to 
the  warrants,  Slavin.     You,  too,  Fairbanks." 

Ralph  simply  bowed  acquiescence.  Slavin  had 
taken  the  matter  out  of  his  hands.  It  was  better 
so,  Ralph  readily  realized.  He  did  not  believe 
that  Farrington  would  go  on  their  bonds  for  any 
large  amount.  This  might  lead  to  a  rupture,  and 
<the  prisoners  might  be  induced  to  implicate  the 
magnate,  and  tell  what  had  become  of  Mrs. 
Dai 

"Come  on,  jou!"  spoke  Slavin,  roughly  pulling 
his  prisoners  to  their  feet. 

"You  look  out!"  snarled  Mort  Bemis  savagely. 
'"See  here,  Mr.  Officer,  this  fellow  talks  big,  but 
he  himself  tied  up  a  set  of  levers  at  the  switch 
tower.'' 

Slavin  turned  red.  He  looked  at  Ralph  in  a 
shamefaced  way.     Then  he  said  bluntly: 

"Yes,  I  did,  Air.  Adair.  That  skunk  got  me 
to.  It  was  before  I  knew  Fairbanks — before  I 
knew  better.  I  give  myself  in  charge  for  the  act. 
.I'm  willing  to  suffer  for  it." 

"Nonsense !"  cried  Ralph  quickly. 

"Do  you  make  the  complaint?"  asked  Adair. 

•"No,  sir!"  spoke  Ralph  emphatically. 


A  HEADSTRONG  FRIEND  193 

"Nor  would  you  appear  against  him?" 

"Hardly!" 

"You  had  better  keep  your  mind  on  your  own 
business  then,  Mr.  Bemis,"  advised  Adair. 

"I  call  that  a  good  night's  work,"  said  Slavin 
to  Ralph,  one  hour  later. 

Mr.  Adair  had  legally  presented  his  evidence 
and  the  prisoners  to  a  new  magistrate. 

Ike  Slump  and  Mort  Bemis  were  remanded  to 
the  town  jail  in  default  of  bail  in  the  sum  of 
ten  thousand  dollars  each. 

"Now,"  observed  Ralph,  as  he  parted  with  the 
strange,  forceful  companion  who  had  proven  so 
good  a  friend  to  him — "now  to  wait  and  see  what 
Gasper  Farrington  will  do  next." 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

IKE  SLUMP  &  CO. 

"That  fellow  has  got  his  nerve  with  him  all 
right!"  spoke  old  Jack  Knight. 

"I  can't  make  out  his  idea,"  observed  Ralph 
Fairbanks. 

It  was  two  days  after  the  arrest  of  Ike  Slump 
and  Mort  Bemis.  Knight  and  his  junior  lever- 
man  were  engrossed  in  watching  a  little  interest- 
ing by-play  going  on  in  the  vicinity  of  the  in 
freight  tracks. 

A  boy  about  Ralph's  age  and  height  had 
jumped  into  an  open  box  car.  He  came  out  with 
a  head  of  cabbage. 

He  did  not  run  away,  but  stood  stock-still  on 
the  near  tracks,  as  if  dallying  with  detection  and 
arrest. 

Some  teamsters  near  by  saw  the  act,  but  they 
only  laughed  carelessly. 

The  boy   dropped   the   cabbage,   climbed   into 
another  car,  and  came  out  this  time  with  a  small 
sack   of   potatoes.      This   he   swung   across   his 
shoulders,    and   started   towards   the   depot. 
194 


IKE  SLUMP  &  CO.  195 

"The  chump !"  commented  Knight.  "Does  he 
want  to  get  caught  purposely?  Look  at  that, 
now :  coast  clear  to  the  street,  and  walking  delib- 
erately into  the  jaws  of  justice!" 

"He's  caught,  yes,"  said  Ralph. 

A  day  watchman  had  come  rushing  up  to  the 
boy.  The  latter  neither  stopped  nor  ran.  He 
kept  on  his  way  steadily.  He  halted  only  when 
the  watchman  banged  his  cane  down  on  the  bag 
on  his  back.     Then  he  dropped  it. 

The  watchman  grabbed  the  culprit's  arm.  The 
watchers  in  the  switch  tower  could  observe  him 
excitedly  waving  his  cane.  He  seemed  to  be 
trying  to  make  his  prisoner  realize  the  enormity 
of  his  offense. 

The  latter,  however,  was  unconcerned.  He 
walked  quietly  along  with  the  watchman  towards 
the  depot,  making  no  effort  to  escape. 

"A  mighty  queer  sort  of  a  thief,  that,"  re- 
marked Knight. 

"Yes,"  said  Ralph— "oh,  my!" 

Ralph  gave  a  quick  start.  He  leaned  far 
through  the  open  sash,  and  stared  fixedly  at 
prisoner  and  watchman  as  they  passed  the  switch 
tower  in  his  direct  range  of  vision. 

The  young  leverman  was  greatly  perturbed.  A 
call  to  the  'phone  had  distracted  Knight's  atten- 
tion.    As  the  watchman  and  his  prisoner  disap- 


196         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

peared  in  the  direction  of  the  depot,  Ralph's  face 
grew  to  a  void  of  wonder,  doubt,  and  anxiety. 

"It  was  Van  Sherwan!"  he  breathed  excitedly 
— "Van  Shcrwin,  surely.  Van  a  thief?  Oh, 
there  is  some  mistake!" 

Ralph  was  greatly  worked  up.  There  was 
nothing  in  the  rough  attire  and  smirched  face 
of  the  prisoner  to  recall  the  neatly-dressed  Van 
whom  Ralph  had  last  seen.  Yet  as  the  prisoner 
had  passed  the  tower,  a  gesture,  the  bearing  of 
the  latter,  a  familiar  feature  had  enlightened 
Ralph  unmistakably. 

"Mr.  Knight,"  he  said  quickly,  "can  I  have  ten 
minutes  off?" 

"Sure  thing.  What's  up,  Fairbanks? — you 
look  disturbed,"  spoke  Knight  curiously. 

"I — I  want  to  run  up  to  the  depot  to  ask  about 
a  friend,"  explained  Ralph,  rather  lamely. 

He  slipped  on  a  coat  and  was  down  the  ladder 
in  a  jiffy.  Once  out  of  the  tower,  he  ran  across 
the  tracks  in  the  direction  of  the  depot. 

Passing  a  switch  shanty,  a  figure  stepped  from 
its  side  directly  in  his  path.  A  challenging  voice 
said  quickly : 

"Hold  on,  there,  Ralph  Fairbanks." 

"Oh,  you,  Slavin?"  said  Ralph.  "Don't  delay 
me.     I  am  in  a  hurry." 

"I  see  you  are.     No  need,"  proclaimed  Slavin 


IKE  SLUMP  &  CO.  197 

coolly,  seizing  and  detaining  Ralph's  arm. 
"You're  trying  to  overtake  a  friend,  aren't  you?" 

"Why,  how  do  you  know  that?"  exclaimed 
Ralph  in  surprise. 

"Name,  Van — Van  Sherman.  No,  Sherwin — 
that's  it.     Am  I  right?" 

"Why,  yes,"  admitted  Ralph  in  a  tone  of  won- 
derment, "but  how  you  come  to  know " 

"I  do  know,  don't  I?"  projected  Slavin,  with 
a  shrewd  smile.   "This  way  for  a  minute,  please." 

He  led  Ralph  out  of  range  of  the  switch  shanty. 
Then,  buttonholing  him  persuasively,  he  said : 

"Fairbanks,  I  know  a  good  deal  more  about 
your  affairs  to-day  than  I  did  yesterday. 
Mightily  glad  I  am  of  it.  You'd  ought  to  be, 
too.  It's  this  way :  I  ran  across  that  friend  of 
yours  last  night." 

"You  mean  Van  Sherwin?" 

"That's  just  what  I  do  mean,"  responded 
Slavin.  "It  was  queer,  but  I  was  nosing  around 
the  jail  for  some  point  on  those  fellows  Slump 
and  Bemis.  I  was  very  anxious  to  find  out  how 
they  would  act  regarding  old  Farrington.  It 
appears  they  sent  messages  to  him.  I  know  that 
much.  But  he  didn't  show  up.  I  noticed  a 
stranger  hanging  around,  just  as  I  was  doing. 
His  actions  aroused  my  suspicions.  Well,  it  led 
to  our  getting  acquainted,  cautiously.    You  know 


198         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

how  such  things  go.  Soon  we  understood  each 
other,  perfectly.  I  was  on  the  trail  of  Slump 
and  Bemis  to  head  off  any  funny  work  on  the 
part  of  their  friend,  Farrington.  Sherwin  was 
trying  to  get  a  line  on  the  whole  case." 

"He  told  you "  began  Ralph. 

"All  I'd  ought  to  know.  Enough  to  show  me 
that  those  fellows  and  Farrington  are  up  to  a 
very  deep  game.  It  all  affects  your  interests. 
That  was  enough  for  me.  There's  a  woman  miss- 
ing, isn't  there?  And  some  bonds?  Those  pris- 
oners know  where  the  woman  is.  The  woman 
probably  knows  where  the  bonds  are.  All  that 
is  straight  and  simple.  We  took  some  time,  this 
famous  friend  of  yours,  Van  Sherwin,  and  I, 
deciding   which   thought   the   most   of  you " 

"Thank  you,   Slavin,"   said  Ralph  warmly. 

"Then  we  concluded  that  you  had  enough  real 
work  to  bother  with,  and  decided  to  help  you 
out  on  this  case.  The  question  was :  how  could 
we  get  in  touch  with  Ike  Slump  &  Co.  ?  Your 
sharp-witted  friend  decided  that.  He's  chain 
lightning,  I  tell  you,  and  no  mistake.  He  saw 
only  one  way.  He  acted  on  it.  I  reckon  you 
saw  how :  he  got  arrested." 

"As  a  thief!"  exclaimed  Ralph  anxiously. 

"Oh.  don't  let  that  worry  you,"  and  Slavin 
smiled  coolly.     "It  was  all  arranged  and  under- 


IKE  SLUMP  &  CO.  199 

stood  by  Bob  Adair.  Shenvin  will  go  to  jail  all 
right.  But  Adair  has  fixed  it  so  the  minute  he 
finds  out  what  he  is  after  and  gives  the  word, 
Van  Sherwin  will  have  his  liberty." 

Ralph  reflected  seriously.  He  could  find  no 
fault  with  the  unselfish  ardor  of  his  friends,  that 
was  sure.  Their  plan  was  a  drastic  one,  but  Van 
was  smart,  and  probably  knew  what  he  was 
about. 

"So,"  remarked  Slavin,  "you  just  get  back  to 
your  work.  Don't  spoil  our  plans  by  interfering 
or  trying  to  see  Sherwin.  Until  I  get  that  rail- 
road job  I'm  promised  I  have  nothing  special  to 
do.    I'll  put  in  the  time  in  your  service,  see?" 

"But,"  said  Ralph,  "Ike  Slump  knows  Van." 

"Does  he?  Very  slightly,  Sherwin  says.  And 
by  the  way,  you  didn't  see  Sherwin — close  at 
hand?" 

Ralph  shook  his  head  negatively. 

"Only  a  special  friend  like  you  would  be  likely 
to  recognize  him,  Sherwin  says.  He's  fairly  well 
disguised  himself.  Besides,  he  simply  w7ants  to 
get  where  he  can  watch  and  overhear  Slump  & 
Co.    He  won't  try  to  chum  with  them." 

Ralph  went  back  to  the  switch  tower  more 
easy  in  his  mind.  He  felt  pretty  tender  towards 
his  two  loyal  boy  friends.  Knowing  Ike  Slump's 
crude,  blurting  ways,  he  believed  that  if  Farring- 


200         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

ton  got  balky,  Ike  would  make  some  break  that 
would  be  of  advantage  to  Van. 

He  decided  to  tell  his  mother  of  this  new  phase 
in  the  case.  Something  startling,  however,  inter- 
rupted. 

He  had  got  ready  for  supper,  and  was  entering 
the  cozy  little  dining  room,  when  Mrs.  Fairbanks, 
at  the  window,  called  out  suddenly: 

"Come  here,  quick,  Ralph." 

"What  is  it,  mother?"  he  asked. 

"I  fancied  I  heard  some  sounds  like  an  explo- 
sion— and  shouts,"  said  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  "There 
is  a  great  glare  over  to  the  south.    Look,  Ralph." 

She  held  aside  the  curtain  so  he  could  see. 

"Why,"  cried  Ralph,  "it  is  a  fire — a  big  fire, 
somewhere !" 
Farrington's  old  factory,"  said  Mrs.  Fairbanks. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
fire! 

A  great  red  glare  covered  the  whole  southern 
sky  as  Ralph  reached  the  outer  air. 

"Mother  is  right,  I  guess,"  he  spoke  quickly — 
"it  is  certainly  in  the  direction  of  the  old  factory." 

The  spur  switch  to  the  factory  had  been  com- 
pleted for  some  days.  Ralph  had  that  afternoon 
operated  the  levers  opening  the  Farrington  ex- 
tension for  the  first  time. 

The  new  lessee  of  the  factory,  he  understood, 
was  going  to  use  oil  for  fuel  under  some  of  the 
boilers.  Among  the  twenty-odd  cars  switched  off 
on  the  spur  that  afternoon  Ralph  had  noticed  as 
many  as  ten  tank  cars. 

As  Ralph  ran  on,  he  was  surprised  to  note  the 
extent  of  the  glare.  It  spread  from  a  point  quite 
remote  from  the  factory  right  up  to  the  factory 
location. 

He  heard  shouts  in  the  distance,  and  scattered 
figures  were  thronging  the  landscape  from  all 
directions. 

Ralph  passed  a  short  timber  reach.     A  vivid 
panorama  now  spread  out  before  him. 
201 


g02         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

A  thousand  yards  ahead  was  the  ravine.  This 
the  factory  switch  spur  traversed. 

Shooting  up  from  the  depths  of  the  ravine  for 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  were  leaping,  vivid 
tongues  of  flame. 

Getting  where  he  could  command  a  view  town- 
wards  obliquely  across  the  ravine,  Ralph  realized 
just  what  had  happened. 

Outlined  against  the  black  sky  there  showed 
the  framework  of  several  freight  cars.  They 
were  simply  threads  of  flame  now. 

In  some  way  the  stationary  freights  had  caught 
fire.  The  blaze  had  communicated  to  an  oil  tank. 
There  had  been  an  explosion,  scattering  the  burn- 
ing oil  far  and  wide. 

The  cars  had  been  blocked  on  an  incline.  Ap- 
parently the  force  of  an  explosion,  or  the  fire,  had 
dislodged  or  destroyed  the  blocking  plank.  Some 
of  the  cars  had  broken  free.  Scudding  down  the 
ravine,  they  had  lodged  cinders  and  flame  in  all 
directions. 

Coming  to  a  curve,  they  had  jumped  the  track. 
About  two  hundred  feet  from  the  factory  they 
had  gone  down  into  a  gravel  pit,  piling  on  top 
of  each  other. 

The  dry  grass  and  shrubbery  were  on  fire  on 
both  sides  of  the  ravine  for  a  full  quarter  of  a 
mile  back  towards  the  town.     The  house  Mrs. 


FIRE!  203 

Davis  had  lived  in  was  ablaze  from  cellar  to 
garret. 

Suddenly  there  was  an  awful  roar.  It  was 
fortunate  that  Ralph  was  no  nearer  to  the  center 
of  the  explosion  than  he  was. 

The  tanks  that  had  crashed  down  into  the 
gravel  pit  had  formed  a  seething  caldron  of  fire, 
and  had  now  exploded. 

So  powerful  was  the  concussion  that  Ralph 
was  thrown  flat.  Getting  erect  again  promptly, 
he  saw  a  great  flare  of  fire  leap  a  hundred  feet 
in  the  air. 

This  bore  with  it  blazing  planks,  fragments  of 
red-hot  iron,  and  dazzling  cinders. 

They  fell  all  over  the  landscape.  They 
particularly  enveloped  the  old  factory.  This, 
Ralph  noticed,  took  fire  instantly  in  a  dozen  dif- 
ferent places. 

"Hello,  Fairbanks !"  cried  a  breathless  passer- 
by. 

"Slavin?"  said  Ralph. 

"Yes,  keep  on.  There's  hose  and  apparatus  up 
at  the  factory.  That's  all  there  is  worth  saving, 
now." 

"It  will  never  be  saved,"  pronounced  Ralph 
convincedly,  but  he  joined  Slavin  on  a  run  for- 
ward. 

They  were  compelled  to  make  a  wide  detour 


204         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

here  and  there  of  the  ravine  windings.  Even 
great  trees  lining  it  had  caught  fire.  The  smoke 
was  dense,  and  the  burning  cinders  rained  down 
upon  them  like  hail. 

"Hold  on,"  ordered  Ralph  suddenly,  but  Slavin, 
catching  sight  of  men  and  ladders  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  factory,  dashed  on  for  the  main  center 
of  excitement  and  activity. 

Ralph  had  halted.  He  stood  within  about  a 
hundred  feet  of  the  old  house  between  Mrs.  Davis' 
former  home  and  the  factory. 

It  was  across  this  stretch,  belonging  to  an  old 
invalid  widow,  that  Farrington  had  forced  hit 
right  of  way.  The  roof  of  the  house  was  ablaze, 
So  was  one  side  of  the  building.  Ralph  had  been 
checked  by  a  wailing  cry. 

"Some  one  shut  in  there,"  he  decided.  "Even 
if  it  is  only  an  animal,  I  must  find  out,  and  try  to 
rescue  it." 

Ralph  ran  through  the  open  rear  doorway.  A 
hall  extended  the  length  of  the  house.  The  out- 
side blaze  shone  brightly  into  a  side  room, 
although  it  was  filled  with  smoke  pouring  through 
a  sash  half  burned  away. 

An  old  woman  in  a  wheel  chair  blocked  the 
doorway  of  the  front  room.  Apparently  this 
was  her  only  means  of  getting  about.  She  had 
tried  to  escape,  the  chair  had  got  wedged  in  the 


FIREl  205 

doorway,  and  she  was  moaning  and  crying  for 
help. 

"Is  that  you,  David?"  she  gasped  wildly,  as 
her  smoke-blurred  eyes  made  out  Ralph. 

"No,  but  I  am  here  to  help  you,"  answered 
Ralph  in  a  cheery,  encouraging  voice.  "Don't 
worry,  ma'am." 

Ralph  soon  extricated  the  chair.  As  he  ran  it 
and  its  occupant  out  into  the  open  air,  the  front 
windows  blew  in  from  the  intense  heat,  and  the 
flames  swept  through  the  house. 

Ralph  ran  the  chair  to  a  high  point  of  safety. 

"Don't  go  any  further,"  panted  the  old  woman. 
"My  son  David  is  due  home.  He  will  be  worried 
to  death.  I  want  to  be  where  I  can  see  and  call 
to  him,  when  he  comes." 

"Very  well,"  said  Ralph,  "you  are  safe  here,  at 
least  for  the  present.  I  will  run  back  and  save 
what  I  can  in  the  house." 

"No,  no,"  demurred  the  old  woman  quickly. 
"There  is  nothing  worth  saving.  The  furniture 
is  old  and  insured.  So  is  the  house.  Oh,  I  am 
so  thankful  to  you !"  she  cried  fervently. 

"That  is  all  right,"  said  Ralph.  "I  am  sorry 
to  see  you  homeless." 

"How  did  the  fire  come?"  questioned  the 
woman.  "From  Gasper  Farrington's  new  rail- 
road?" 


206         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Yes,"  said  Ralph,  "some  oil  cars  on  the  switch 
spur  took  fire,  and  exploded." 

"Then  he  is  responsible!"  cried  the  woman 
eagerly.  "And  his  factory  is  burning  up,  isn't  it? 
It's  a  retribution  on  him,  that's  what  it  is,"  she 
declared  hoarsely.  "He  ran  his  tracks  over  our 
land  without  permission.  He  spoiled  our  peace- 
ful home.  Won't  I  get  damages  from  him,  as 
well  as  my  insurance  money?" 

"I  think  your  chances  are  very  good,"  answered 
Ralph. 

The  old  woman  looked  somewhat  comforted. 
She  sat  mumbling  to  herself.  Ralph  wished  to 
hurry  over  to  the  factory.  He  offered  to  wheel 
her  to  a  shelter  nearer  the  town,  but  she  insisted 
she  must  wait  in  sight  of  the  house  until  her  son 
arrived. 

Ralph  did  not  like  to  leave  her  alone.  The 
grass  might  catch  fire  and  the  flames  spread,  even 
to  the  place  where  they  were  now.  He  stood 
surveying  the  fire  interestedly,  when  his  com- 
panion uttered  a  sudden  scream. 

"Oh,  my !  oh,  my !"  she  wailed,  wringing  her 
hands.     "How  could  I  forget!" 

Ralph  pressed  closer  to  her  side. 

"Is  something  distressing  you?"  he  asked 
quickly. 

"Oh,   yes!   yes!"   said   the   woman.       "Is   the 


FIFE!  207 

house  all  on  fire?  No,  there  may  be  time 
yet.  Boy,  will  you — will  you  do  something  for 
me?" 

"Surely,  if  I  can." 

"In  the  house — something  I  must  save." 

"What  is  it  ?     In  what  part  of  the  house  ?" 

"Not  mine.  It  is  a  sacred  trust.  It  is  some- 
thing I  promised  faithfully  to  look  after.  Oh, 
dear!  dear!  if  it  should  be  burned  up!" 

"Try  and  be  calm,  and  tell  me  about  it,"  ad- 
vised Ralph. 

"It  is  upstairs — in  the  rear  garret  room." 

Ralph  looked  up  rather  hopelessly  at  the  little 
window  fully  twenty  feet  from  the  ground. 

"How  do  the  stairs  run?"  he  asked. 

"Only  from  the  front.  You  can't  go  that  way, 
though,"  panted  the  woman.  "It's  all  ablaze. 
But  there  is  a  ladder." 

"Where— quick." 

"Behind  that  old  grape  trellis." 

"How  long  is  it?"  asked  Ralph. 

"It  reaches  the  roof.  My  son  used  it  in  shin- 
gling. Take  a  hatchet  or  a  club  with  you.  The 
window  is  nailed  down  on  the  inside,  very  tightly. 
You  will  have  to  smash  the  window  in.  Is  it  too 
late?" 

"Not  at  all,"  declared  Ralph  briskly. 

"The  roof  is  all  on  fire!" 


$08  RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWLR 

"Never  mind  that,  only  be  quick  and  tell  me: 
what  is  it  you  want  me  to  get?" 

"There's  only  one  thing  in  the  room.  An  old 
trunk." 

"An  old  trunk?"  repeated  Ralph  rapidly. 

"It's  all  tied  up  with  rope.  Smash  it  open, 
too.  Inside  is  a  tin  case,  a  small  flat  tin  case. 
That's  what  I  want.  Oh !  you  will  get  it,  won't 
you?''  pleaded  the  old  woman,  in  a  fever  of  sus- 
pense and  excitement. 

"I  shall  certainly  try,"  declared  Ralph. 

"Don't  risk  your  precious  life  by  any  delay, 
dear,  dear  boy!"  cried  the  old  woman  hyster- 
ically. "I  believe  I  should  die  of  worry  if  that 
box  was  burned  up.  I  promised  so  sincerely  to 
take  care  of  it.  What  would  Mrs.  Davis  say  if 
it  was  lost !" 

"Who?"  cried  Ralph  sharply,  with  a  great 
start. 

"Mrs.  Davis." 

"The  woman  who  lived  next  door?" 

"Yes,  yes.  She  left  it  with  me,  about  a  month 
ago.  She  was  afraid  to  keep  it  with  herself.  I 
promised " 

But  Ralph  was  listening  no  longer.  A  great 
conviction  filled  his  mind  that  at  this  critical  mo- 
ment, amid  fire  and  peril,  a  crisis  in  his  life  faced 
him. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE    LITTLE    TIN    BOX 

Ralph  ran  towards  the  grape  trellis.  He 
soon  found  the  ladder  the  old  woman  had  men- 
tioned. 

It  was  long  and  quite  heavy,  but  seizing  one 
end  he  dragged  it  towards  the  burning  building. 
Soon  he  had  it  set  in  place  and  balanced.  He  had 
guessed  at  the  proper  slant  correctly.  Its  top 
just  rested  on  the  edge  of  the  attic  window  out- 
side the  sill. 

"No  time  to  lose,"  declared  Ralph.  ''Where 
will  I  find  a  hatchet  ?"  he  called  to  the  old  woman. 

"In  the  wood  shed — right  near  the  door,  on  a 
chopping  block,"  she  directed,  watching  his  every 
movement  in  a  fever  of  suspense. 

Ralph  darted  into  the  wood  shed.  He  came 
out,  hatchet  in  hand,  and  sprang  instantly  onto 
the  ladder. 

The  building  was  doomed,  he  saw  that.     Its 
entire  front  half  was  in  flame.     As  he  got  a  few 
feet  from  the  ground  a  great  whirlwind  of  smoke 
and  sparks  enveloped  him. 
209 


210         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Why,"  exclaimed  Ralph,  as  he  reached  the  top 
of  the  ladder,  "the  window  is  all  right." 

He  did  not  need  to  use  the  hatchet.  Contrary 
to  the  old  woman's  positive  statement,  Ralph 
found  the  sash  raised  an  inch  or  two.  It  pushed 
up  smoothly.  He  felt  obtruding  nails  on  the  in- 
side, which  appeared  to  have  been  forced  out  of 
place. 

Climbing  through  the  window,  Ralph  was 
nearly  choked  with  the  dense  smoke  filling  the 
room.  The  window  vent  somewhat  cleared  the 
air,  but  he  could  not  see  an  inch  before  his 
face. 

"I  can't  stand  much  of  this,"  he  reflected,  and 
then  held  his  breath  closely. 

Ralph  had  to  grope  with  hands  and  feet.  He 
lined  one  side  wall  of  the  apartment,  ran  to  the 
window  for  a  supply  of  fresh  air,  and  resumed  his 
difficult  quest. 

"No  luck  so  far,"  he  panted.  "The  room 
seems  entirely  empty.  There  is  not  even  a  carpet 
on  the  floor." 

Suddenly,  a  cracking  sound  and  then  a  slight 
crash  warned  him  to  look  out  for  danger. 

A  door  leading  into  the  front  attic  just  then 
burned  free  of  its  hinges.  It  fell  inside  the  apart- 
ment Ralph  was  in. 

Its  vivid  blazing  lit  up  the  room  somewhat. 


THE  LITTLE  TIN  BOX  %\\ 

"I  see  it — the  trunk!"  said  Ralph,  and  sprang 
to  a  corner  where  a  box-like  outline  showed. 

Again  the  old  woman's  statements  were  at 
fault.  The  trunk  was  perfectly  easy  of  access, 
and  Ralph  did  not  have  to  use  the  hatchet  at  all.' 

Ropes  that  at  one  time  possibly  enclosed  the 
trunk  lay  at  one  side,  cut  in  two.  The  broken 
Jock  of  the  trunk  lay  on  the  floor.  Ralph  threw 
up  the  cover. 

Inside  was  a  mass  of  cotton  batting.  He  threw 
this  out  on  the  floor.  Then  some  old  newspapers 
followed.  Beneath  these  lay  a  little  flat  tin 
box. 

"I  have  it,"  said  Ralph  with  satisfaction,  grasp- 
ing the  object  of  the  old  woman's  anxiety. 

It  was  high  time  to  make  an  exit.  Some 
sparks  fell  on  the  cotton.  It  blazed  up  into 
his  face  and  singed  his  hair.  Ralph  found  him- 
self nearly  overcome  by  the  smoke.  He  fairly 
staggered  to  the  window,  and  spluttering  and 
scorched,  almost  slid  the  length  of  the  ladder. 

Reaching  the  ground  the  young  leverman  stood 
stationary  for  a  moment.  He  dugf  the  cinders 
out  of  his  eyes,  and  took  a  good  long  refreshing 
breath  of  the  pure  air. 

A  call  roused  him  to  new  action.  The  old 
woman  was  shouting  at  him  and  waving  her  hand 
easrerlv. 


212         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER  \ 

She  was  not  alone  now.  A  pale-faced  young 
man  of  about  thirty  stood  by  her  side.  Ralph 
presumed  that  this  was  her  son,  David,  to  whom 
she  had  so  frequently  referred. 

"Did  you  get  it — did  you  get  it?"  she  called 
out  anxiously,  as  Ralph  ran  up  to  the  invalid 
chair. 

"Yes,  ma'am,"  responded  Ralph,  handing  over 
the  box. 

"Oh,  dear!  Oh,  how  shall  I  ever  thank  you? 
David,  he  is  a  brave,  noble  boy !"  and  hugging  the 
box  to  her  breast,  the  old  woman  wept  hyster- 
ically. 

"You  saved  my  mother's  life,"  spoke  the 
young  man,  placing  a  hand  that  trembled  on 
Ralph's  shoulder. 

"I  am  glad  if  that  is  so,"  said  Ralph. 

"David  !  David  !  David  !" 

Just  here  the  old  woman  interrupted  with 
startling  suddenness.  Ralph  turned  quickly  to- 
ward her  in  amazement.  Her  son  ran  to  her  side, 
very  much  alarmed.  She  had  shouted  out  his 
name  in  such  a  lost,  despairing  tone  that  both  her 
auditors  were  thrilled. 

"Mother — what  is  it?"  cried  the  young  man. 

The  old  woman  waved  the  tin  box  that  Ralph 
had  just  given  her. 

"It  was  tied  with  twine — in  a  sheet  of  writing 


THE  LITTLE  TIN  BOX  213 

paper,  and  sealed,"  she  said.  "And  look  now, 
David — it  is  empty!'' 

"Was  there  something  in  it?"  questioned 
Ralph,  his  spirits  sinking  to  zero. 

All  along  he  had  entertained  some  hopeful 
ideas  regarding  that  little  tin  box,  knowing  that  it 
had  been  the  property  of  the  mysterious  Mrs. 
Davis. 

"Why,  surely,"  said  the  old  woman,  weeping 
bitterly  and  wringing  her  hands.  "Mrs.  Davis 
put  some  folded  papers  in  it.  I  saw  her  do  it. 
She  said  they  were  very  valuable.  She  was 
afraid  she  would  lose  them,  or  be  robbed.  She 
said  she  feared  wicked  enemies." 

"When  was  that?"  asked  Ralph. 

"About  a  month  ago.  She  wrapped  up,  tied, 
and  sealed  the  box.  She  asked  me  where  she 
could  hide  it  for  a  time.  I  told  her  about  the  old 
trunk.  It  was  empty,  except  for  some  cotton  and 
newspapers.  I  told  her  to  nail  down  the  window, 
put  the  box  in  the  trunk,  tie  up  the  trunk,  and 
lock  the  attic  door.  She  did  all  that.  She  made 
me  promise  solemnly  to  think  first  of  that  box  if 
anything  happened.  And  now  someone  has 
stolen  the  papers!  I  have  been  faithless  to  my 
trust!  Poor  Mrs.  Davis  said  her  very  life  de- 
pended on  those  papers.  Oh,  David !  David !  I 
shall  die  of  shame  and  grief,  I  know  I  shall !" 


214         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"You  did  your  best,  you  couldn't  help  it,"  said 
her  son  soothingly. 

"No,  some  thief  has  visited  your  attic,''  de« 
cleared  Ralph. 

"But  no  one  except  Mrs.  Davis  and  myseli 
knew  that  the  box  was  there,"  suggested  the 
weeping  woman. 

"Someone  surely  found  out,"  said  Ralph.  "I 
found  the  window  forced  up  and  the  trunk  lock 
broken." 

"Mother,  you  really  must  not  take  on  so," 
spoke  the  young  man  in  a  worried  tone.  "You 
are  shaking  all  over.  I  must  get  you  to  some 
shelter." 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

A    CLEW  ! 

The  young  switch-tower  man  had  lost  all 
interest  in  the  fire  now.  He  stood  thinking 
deeply,  and  felt  quite  depressed. 

He  was  very  certain  that  the  papers  Mrs.  Davis 
had  placed  in  the  tin  box  in  some  way  referred  to 
her  interest  in  the  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth 
of  railroad  bonds,  to  which  she  had  so  frequently 
and  significantly  alluded. 

She  had  told  his  mother  that  she  was  going  to 
get  something  from  a  friend  to  show  her  and 
Ralph.     Was  it  not  these  very  same  papers? 

It  was  very  possible,  Ralph  reflected  further, 
that  in  some  way  Mrs.  Davis'  kidnappers  had  got 
a  clew  to  the  hiding  place  of  these  self-same  docu- 
ments. 

"One  word,  please,"  spoke  up  Ralph,  as  the 
young  man  started  to  wheel  his  mother  away 
from  the  scene  of  the  fire.  "Someone  certainly 
forced  a  way  to  your  attic  and  rifled  that  trunk." 

"Who  could  it  be — how  could  they  know?" 
queried  the  distressed  invalid. 

215 


216         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Have  you  had  any  strange  visitors?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"No — no  one  hardly  ever  comes  here,  except 
neighbors.  Of  course  there  have  been  a  lot  of 
workmen  building  the  switch.  But  they  were 
harmless,  ignorant  persons.  Got  a  drink  at  the 
well,  and  went  about  their  business." 

"You  have  noticed  no  suspicious  characters 
hanging  about  ?"  pressed  Ralph. 

"Oh,  no." 

"By  the  way,  mother,"  interposed  the  young 
man,  "you  forgot  about  the  two  young  fellows 
who  came  here  day  before  yesterday — no,  the 
day  before  that — Tuesday." 

"Oh,  they  were  the  insurance  men." 

"What  insurance  men?"  asked  Ralph. 

"They  said  they  were  inspectors.  They  said 
they  were  hired  by  the  insurance  companies  to 
look  over  risks.  They  asked  me  if  we  had  any 
gasoline.  I  said  no.  Then  they  asked  if  I  had 
any  inflammable  stuff  stored  in  the  attic.  They 
wanted  to  go  up  and  see,  but  I  told  them  the  attic 
was  empty." 

"They  wanted  to  inspect  the  attic,  did  they?" 
murmured  Ralph  thoughtfully. 

"Yes.  Then  they  said  they  would  have  to 
look  over  the  chimneys  and  roof,  to  be  sure  every- 
thing was  all  right." 


A  CLEW!  217 

"Did  they  do  so?" 

"I  told  them  where  the  ladder  was.  Of  course, 
confined  helpless  to  my  invalid  chair,  I  couldn't 
go  out  with  them.  They  came  back  inside  in 
about  ten  minutes,  and  said  they  had  found  every- 
thing in  shipshape  order." 

"Those  are  the  persons  who  robbed  the  trunk," 
declared  Ralph  in  a  tone  of  conviction. 

"Do  you  think  so?"  cried  the  old  woman.  "Do 
you  know  them?" 

"I  don't  know — yet.  Do  you  remember  how 
they  were  dressed?" 

"They  were  well-dressed,  I  remember  that." 

"Young  men,  I  believe  you  said?" 

"Yes,  boys,  almost — a  little  older  than  you. 
One  wore  a  pearl-gray  derby  hat.  The  other 
wore  a  kind  of  automobile  cap." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Ralph,  showing  the  value  of 
this  information  in  manner  and  face. 

"Do  you  know  them?"  inquired  the  old  woman 
eagerly. 

"I  think  I  do,"  said  Ralph. 

"Can  you  find  them?" 

"They  will  not  be  hard  to  locate,"  answered 
Ralph  definitely.  "Do  not  worry,  ma'am.  You 
have  given  me  a  very  clever  clew  as  to  the  rob- 
bers. I  think  I  know  who  has  got  the  papers  that 
were  in  that  little  tin  box." 


218  RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Oh,  be  sure  to  let  me  know  if  you  get  back 
those  papers,  won't  you?"  pressed  the  old  woman 
anxiously. 

"I  certainly  shall,"  promised  Ralph. 

He  bade  mother  and  son  good-bye.  Then 
Ralph  proceeded  in  the  direction  of  the  old  Far- 
rington  factory. 

Great  crowds  lined  the  ravine  and  surrounded 
the  site  of  the  factory.  This  had  been  burned  to 
the  ground.  The  ravine  in  places  was  still  a  nest 
of  fire,  but  the  flames  were  confined  there.  The 
fires  in  the  grass  and  in  the  shrubbery  had  been 
beaten  out. 

Ralph  passed  from  crowd  to  crowd,  gleaming 
many  a  bit  of  exciting  gossip. 

He  heard  a  local  insurance  agent  say  that  the 
fire  had  done  damage  to  the  extent  of  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  The  factory  represented  the 
bulk  of  the  loss. 

"And  no  insurance,  did  you  say?"  someone 
asked  the  agent. 

"Not  on  the  building.  The  insurance  expired 
there  only  last  week." 

Ralph  finally  found  the  person  he  was  in  search 
of — Slavin.  He  had  made  up  his  mind  that 
something  must  be  done  promptly  in  regard  to 
the  documents  stolen  from  Mrs.  Davis'  tin 
box. 


A  CLEW!  219 

Ike  Slump  and  Mort  Bemis  tallied  precisely  to 
the  old  woman's  description  of  her  "insurance  in- 
spectors" visitors. 

Their  call  at  the  old  house  had  evidently  been 
made  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  when  Slump 
and  Bemis  had  decoyed  Ralph  to  the  Stiggs  cot- 
tage. 

Ralph  reasoned  that  if  they  had  got  the  docu- 
ments in  question,  they  had  them  now,  for  their 
arrest  had  followed  within  a  few  hours  of  their 
rifling  of  the  trunk. 

"I  want  you  to  do  something  for  me,  Slavin,  if 
you  will,"  said  Ralph,  leading  his  companion  out 
of  hearing  of  the  crowd. 

"All  right,"  was  the  prompt  response. 

"Something  urgent  and  important." 

"Fire  away — I'm  yours  truly." 

"Can  you  get  word  for  me  to  my  friend,  Van 
Sherwin?" 

"Sure." 

"To-night?" 

"At  any  and  all  times.  We  arranged  that 
with  the  road  detective." 

"Very  well,''  said  Ralph.  "I  want  you  to  de- 
liver a  note  to  Van.  It  will  take  some  time  to 
write  it,  so  you  will  have  to  come  up  to  the  house 
with  me,  and  wait  till  I  get  it  ready." 

They  proceeded  forthwith  in  the  direction  of 


220         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

the  Fairbanks  homestead.  Ralph  invited  his 
companion  to  stay  to  supper. 

''Say,"  observed  Slavin,  as  they  had  proceeded 
on  their  way  some  distance  and  he  took  a  last 
backward  glance  at  the  dying  flames — "sayt 
Ralph  Fairbanks,  I  wonder  if  it  looks  to  you— . 
that  fire  I  mean — like  it  does  to  me?" 

"How  do  you  mean,  Slavin  ?"  questioned 
Ralph. 

"That  some  of  old  Gasper  Farrington's  chickens 
are  coming  home  to  roost!" 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

SLAVIN    GETS    A    JOB 

"Good-morning,  Mr.  Fairbanks." 

"Why,  good-morning,  Mr.  Slavin,  but — quite 
formal,  aren't  you?"  said  Ralph   with  a  smile. 

It  was  the  second  day  after  the  factory  fire. 
Ralph  and  Knight,  both  busy  at  their  duties,  had 
been  visited  by  Slavin. 

He  came  up  the  ladder  and  into  the  switch 
tower  with  a  certain  slow  dignity  of  manner  that 
made  Ralph  stare. 

"Hello,  Slav,"  nodded  old  Jack  Knight  care- 
lessly. 

"How  do  you  do — sir?"  answered  Slavin  with 
rigid  courtesy  as  he  sank  to  the  armchair — always 
a  welcome  visitor,  nowadays. 

"Bust  me!"  whispered  Knight  with  a  keen 
glance  at  Slavin,  and  suppressing  a  quick  snicker 
— "what's  in  his  crop  now,  Fairbanks?" 

Ralph  wondered,  too.  He  stole  a  second  fur- 
tive look  at  Slavin.  Then  he  had  to  turn  his  head 
aside  to  hide  a  smile. 

321 


222         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Slavin  sat  like  a  statue.  The  one  impelling 
motive  of  his  life  at  present,  it  seemed,  was  to 
suggest  the  idea  that  he  had  weighty  matters  on 
his  mind. 

He  looked  like  a  being  struggling  with  the 
most  momentous  responsibilities.  His  eye  ran 
over  the  long  array  of  levers  as  if  he  had  been 
officially  delegated  to  inspect  them.  His  bearing 
was — profound. 

Ralph  noticed  a  change  in  his  general  dress. 
So  did  Knight,  and  in  a  hoarse,  undertoned  guf- 
faw he  observed  to  his  young  assistant : 

"The  spell  is  on,  and  he's  got  himself  up  re- 
gardless!" 

Knight  could  hardly  hold  himself  in.  The  old 
veteran  had  seen  every  phase  of  railroad  regime 
and  railroad  vanity  in  his  long  career.  At  a 
glance  he  had  guessed  what  was  up  with  Young 
Slavin. 

Ralph  noticed  that  Slavin  wore  a  new  head 
gear.  It  was  a  direct  copy  of  the  touring  cap 
affected  by  the  depot  master. 

The  top  button  of  Slavin's  coat  was  a  brass 
one.  It  was  either  a  conductor's  or  a  Pullman 
porter's  official  insignia — at  a  distance  Ralph 
could  not  tell  which. 

Sticking  out  from  one  of  Slavin's  coat  pockets 
was  an  assortment  of  folders.     Ralph  recognized 


SLAV  IN  GETS  A  JOB  %%% 

them  as  including  all  the  official  time  schedules  of 
the  Great  Northern. 

Besides  that,  in  his  hand  Slavin  carried  a 
somber-looking-,  flexible-covered  book.  This 
suggested  some  technical  engineering  or  scientific 
work. 

Slavin  consulted  its  pages  as  he  sat  in  the  arm- 
chair. Ralph  and  Knight  scented  fun  in  the  air. 
They  went  on  silently  with  their  duties. 

This  grew  irksome  to  Slavin.  He  finally  arose 
to  his  feet,  and  began  restively  pacing  about  the 
switch  tower. 

"H'm,"  he  observed  at  length.  "Saw  a  great 
article  on  the  combustion  of  coal  gases  in  loco- 
motives, last  night." 

"That  so?"  nodded  Knight,  and  proceeded  to 
whistle  industriously. 

Slavin  looked  hurt  at  the  repulse.  In  a  minute 
or  two  he  blurted  out  again : 

"I  see  there's  a  new  invention  for  economizing 
steam  in  short-run  engines.  Sort  of  studying  up 
things,  see  ?     This  here  book " 

"What  book  is  it,  Slavin?"  inquired  Ralph 
pleasantly. 

"Yes,  what's  this  high  jinks  in  railroad  educa- 
tion you're  firing  at  us?"  demanded  Knight,  sud- 
denly seizing  the  volume  from  Slavin's  hand. 
"Oh,  my!  hold  me!  ha!  ha!"  roared  the  veteran 


RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

towerman.  "Listen,  Fairbanks :  'Technical  To- 
pography of  High  Grade  Elevations  in  Asiatic 
Railways.'  Oh,  me!  Oh,  my!  Slavin,  you 
take  the  cake !" 

"Mr.  Knight,  I  didn't  come  here  to  have  my 
feelings  trampled  on,"  spoke  Slavin  in  tones  of 
offended  dignity. 

"Right,  old  son.  You  came  here  to  show  how 
hard  you'd  got  the  railroad  fever — hey,  you 
spoony?  Why,  it's  sticking  out  all  over  you.  I 
had  it  once.  They  all  get  it  at  first.  Why,  you 
ambitious  young  lunkhead,"  cried  Knight,  slap- 
ping Slavin's  shoulder  with  a  hearty  whack  that 
nearly  knocked  him  over,  "you're  simply  tickled 
to  death  about  something,  and  I  can  tell  it  in  three 
words." 

"What  is  it,  Mr.  Knight?"  asked  Ralph 
innocently. 

'"Got  a  job!'" 

"Good!"  cried  Ralph,  grasping  Slavin's  hand 
in  congratulation.     "Is  it  true?" 

"Why,  yes,  it  is,"  answered  Slavin  proudly. 
"So,  what's  the  harm  in  trying  to  post  up,  hey?" 

"My  son,"  observed  Knight  in  a  patriarchal 
fashion,  "posting  up  and  looking  railroady  is  all 
right,  but  there's  many  a  long,  tough  reach  in 
plain  buttons,  and  a  long  distance  away  from 
combustion   and   high   grades,   before   you   even 


SLAV  IN  GETS  A  JOB  $25 

begin  to  guess  what  you  know  about  practical 
railroading.  Who  did  you  see — the  master 
mechanic  ?" 

"No — depot  master." 

"What — not  put  on  duty  here  with  us?"  ex- 
claimed Ralph  in  a  really  pleased  tone. 

"That's  it,"  announced  Slavin  grandly. 

"Well,  I  am  truly  glad,"  said  Ralph. 

"So  am  I,"  put  in  Knight — "I'll  catch  your 
mistakes  like  a  true  friend,  and  help  you  along 
like  a  brother." 

"I  am  not  going  to  make  any  mistakes,"  de- 
clared Slavin  confidently. 

"Oho!  aint?"  said  Knight  softly. 

"No,  sir.  I've  watched  you  two  closely.  It's 
simple.     You  get  7.     Pull  7.     Muscle  does  it." 

"That  so  ?"  continued  old  Jack,  in  a  slow,  pity- 
ing  drawl.  "Well,  well !  Now,  just  to  demon- 
strate, suppose  you  take  a  test?" 

"I'm  your  man !"  cried  Slavin,  pulling  oft"  his 
coat  and  striking  an  attitude. 

"Double  switch,"  called  out  Knight — "18  and 
19." 

Slavin  wavered,  Knight  had  called  out  two 
levers  way  down  the  line,  rarely  used.  Slavin's 
eyes  ran  the  long  array.  Then  he  got  his  bear- 
ings, and  swung  his  arms  down  into  the  battery 
with  a  ponderous  swoop. 


226         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

His  great  strong  fists  clasped  the  lever  handles 
in  a  really  admirable  manner,  and  he  looked  the 
prodigy  of  muscle  he  claimed  to  be. 

"Open  'em  up!"  shouted  Knight. 

Slavin  bent  to  his  task. 

''Pull — you  lubber,  pull!"  yelled  old  Jack 
Knight. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

WHAT    THE    "EXTRA"    TOLD 

"They  won't  move!"  cried  Young  Slavin  dis- 
gustedly. "They  don't  budge.  Oh,  rot  on  you ! 
guying  a  fellow,"  and  he  slunk  back  to  the  arm* 
chair  in  chagrin. 

Old  Jack  laughed  till  the  tears  ran  down  his 
cheeks.  He  had  tricked  his  new  apprentice  into 
a  "grand-stand"  display  at  two  levers  that  had 
been  wedged  tight  shut  and  out  of  use  for  a 
month. 

He  rallied  the  would-be  railroader  for  a  few 
minutes.  Then  in  his  kind-spirited  way  he  took 
up  the  matter  seriously. 

He  told  Slavin  just  what  his  initial  duties 
would  be :  sweeping  out  the  tower,  keeping  the 
fuel  supply  handy,  oiling  the  lever  and  rod 
sockets,  cleaning  the  widows. 

Slavin  was  somewhat  disappointed  at  this 
dreary  routine.  When,  however,  Knight  recited 
his  own  early  experience  and  what  it  led  to  in 
proficiency  and  promotion,  Slavin  became  more 
resigned. 

227 


228         RALPH  IX  THE  S HITCH  TOWER 

"It  looks  good,"  lie  said  longingly.  "The  day 
I  draw  more  than  board  and  lodging  wages  and 
pull  a  lever.  I'll  give  you  two  a  banquet.  Say,  I 
can  hardly  wait  to  begin  !" 

"When  do  you  begin,  Slavin?"  asked  old  Jack. 

"Next  Monday." 

Slavin  hung  around  the  switch  tower  till 
Knight  went  away  in  answer  to  a  'phone  call  from 
the  limits  tower.     Then  he  sidled  up  to  Ralph. 

"Been  waiting  to  tell  you,"  he  said  in  a  low 
tone. 

"Something  about  Van?" 

"Yes." 

"Did  you  get  any  word  from  him?" 

"This  morning.  Came  to  the  rear  jail  win- 
dow, where  I  wait  for  him.  Said  just  one 
word." 

"What  was  it?" 

"  'To-night.'  " 

"That  was  all  ?" 

"Someone  inside  interrupted  him,  I  think,  so 
that  was  all." 

"  'To-night,'  "  repeated  Ralph  musingly.  "I 
Wonder  what  he  means?" 

"Action  to-night,  of  course.  Something  is 
going  to  happen.  Last  night — you  remember 
what  he  told  me?" 

"Yes,  Van  said  he  felt  sure  that  Slump  and 


WHAT  THE  "EXTRA"  TOLD  229 

Bemis  had  the  documents  stolen  from  Mrs. 
Davis." 

"That's  it/'  nodded  Slavin.  "You  know 
Slump  wrote  a  sassy  letter  to  old  Farrington." 

"So  you  told  me." 

"Farrington  paid  no  attention  to  it.  Then  Van 
overheard  these  two  precious  schemers  concoct- 
ing a  new  note.  It  told  old  Farrington  that  they 
had  something  better  than  merely  knowing  where 
a  certain  woman  was." 

"They  meant  Mrs.  Davis." 

"Of  course.  In  this  last  note  they  said  that 
they  had  some  very  valuable  papers  belonging  to 
Mrs.  Davis.  They  threatened  that  if  Farrington 
didn't  get  them  out  of  that  jail  inside  of  forty- 
eight  hours,  they  would  send  for  Ralph  Fairbanks 
and  turn  the  papers  over  to  him." 

"This  is  getting  interesting,"  remarked  Ralph. 

"And  exciting.  Oh,  something  is  sure  to  drop, 
soon.  That  old  miser  will  never  go  any  twenty 
thousand  dollars'  bonds  on  those  two  scape- 
graces." 

"It  is  not  likely,"  said  Ralph.  "Do  you  think 
Farrington  paid  any  attention  to  the  second 
note?" 

"I  think  he  did." 

"Why  so?" 

"As  I  left  the  jail,  I  saw  his  coachman  come 


230         RALPH  IN  THE  Sll  ITCH  TOWER 

out  of  the  building-.  He  had  an  empty  basket  on 
his  arm.  I  think  he  had  been  taking  some  food 
and  such  fixings  to  Ike  Slump  &  Co." 

"And  the  latest  is  Van's  'To-night',''  mused 
Ralph.  "Slavin,  you  will  keep  a  close  watch  on 
things,  won't  you?  I  believe  affairs  are  very 
near  a  crisis." 

"I'll  not  miss  anything,"  Slavin  assured  Ralph 
stanchly — "least  of  all  you,  when  there's  any 
important  word  to  report." 

Ralph  was  restless  and  expectant  all  that  even- 
ing at  home.  He  sat  up  till  ten  o'clock,  hoping 
that  Slavin  might  bring  him  some  word. 

None  came,  however.  He  went  to  bed,  and  as 
usual  left  the  house  for  the  switch  tower  at  7.30 
in  the  morning. 

Just  as  Ralph  neared  the  depot  yards,  a  small 
boy  with  a  bundle  of  papers  under  his  arm  darted 
down  the  street. 

Ralph  remembered  that  this  was  "paper  day." 
He  paused  and  listened  as  the  lad  shouted  out  his 
wares. 

"Extry!  extry!"  he  called. 

"Here,  boy — what  have  you  got  extra?"  asked 
a  passer-by. 

"Full  account  of  the  great  Stanley  Junction 
jail  escape!" 

"What's  that?"  cried  Ralph  irrepressibly. 


WHAT  THE  "EXTRA"  TOLD  231 

"Hey,  never  mind — I'll  tell  you,"  pronounced 
Slavin's  voice  suddenly  at  his  elbow.  "I'm  out 
of  breath.  Just  missed  you  at  your  house,  and 
ran  all  the  way  here  after  you." 

"Slavin,  what  is  this  I  hear — a  jail  escape  ?" 

"Yes — Slump  and  Bemis.  It  seems  someone 
smuggled  some  tools  in  to  them  yesterday." 

"Farrington's  man." 

"That's  how  I  figure  it  out,"  assented  Slavin. 
"Anyhow,  they  discovered  that  the  prisoners  were 
gone  about  midnight.  I  didn't  hear  of  it  until 
about  an  hour  ago.  I  hurried  to  the  road  detect- 
ive. He  got  a  'phone  from  Van  Sherwin  at  the 
jail  about  two  o'clock  this  morning.  It  was  to 
wire  to  the  jailer  to  give  him  his  liberty." 

"What — Van  gone,  too !"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

"That's  the  way  it  looks.  I  just  came  from 
the  jail.  They  had  let  Sherwin  go.  The  jailer 
said  he  had  left  a  note.  For  Ralph  Fairbanks. 
I  took  it  to  deliver.     Here  it  is." 

Ralph  eagerly  tore  open  the  letter  Slavin 
handed  him. 

It  contained  Van's  signature  in  initials,  and  one 
line  only.     This  read  : 

"Got  track  of  Mrs.  Davis — I  have  the  stolen 
papers." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

GUESSING 

Young  Slavin  was  marking  some  initials  on 
the  current  date  on  a  big  calendar  hanging  up  on 
the  door  of  the  coat  closet  of  the  depot  switch 
tower. 

It  was  his  third  day  of  service.  As  old  Jack 
Knight  came  up  the  trap  ladder,  his  grim  face 
broke  into  an  expression  of  sincere  approbation. 
He  took  a  keen  look  around  the  place. 

"Neat  and  tidy,"  he  observed.  ''You'll  do, 
Slavin.  But  what's  those  hieroglyphics  on  that 
calendar  for?" 

"Oh,  just  a  memoranda,"  explained  the  new 
tower  hand,  with  a  conscious  flush. 

"T.  I.  N.'eh?"  said  Knight. 

The  initials  were  blue-penciled  in  the  date 
space  of  each  of  the  three  days  of  Slavin's  em- 
ployment. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"What's  the  answer?  Something  about  a 
coupling  pin?" 

"Naw.     Those  initials,  Mr.  Knight,  represent 


GUESSING  233 

the  boiling  down  of  the  rules  for  employes  printed 
on  the  card  of  instructions." 

"That  so?" 

"Yes,  sir,  Promptness,  Industry,  Neatness. 
I'm  trying  to  fill  that  bill." 

"You've  done  it  so  far,"  observed  old  Jack. 
"I  hear  you  show  up  an  hour  before  time." 

"Can't  sleep,  thinking  of  my  grand  luck!" 
chuckled  Slavin. 

"You're  certainly  all  the  time  fussing  around, 
if  that's  industry,"  went  on  Knight.  "Those 
windows  shine  like  headlights.  You've  oiled  up 
everything  till  the  lack  of  creaking  makes  a  fellow 
lonesome.  As  to  neatness — well,  if  you  haven't 
actually  scrubbed  the  floor  here !" 

"I  thought  it  needed  it,"  said  Slavin. 

"Keep  it  up,  son,"  encouraged  old  Jack. 
"You're  making  a  fine  beginning." 

Slavin  went  singing  and  whistling  about  his 
work  the  whole  day  long.  It  did  Ralph's  heart 
good,  wThen  he  arrived,  to  see  his  protege  happy, 
industrious,  and  headed  in  the  right  direc- 
tion. 

Things  were  going  on  famously  smooth  and 
satisfactory  at  the  switch  tower.  A  friend  of 
old  Farrington's,  and  by  no  means  of  Ralph's, 
one  Bardon,  an  inspector,  had  looked  over  the 
layout  with  a  critical  eye  the  day  previous. 


234         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"You'll  find  no  flaws  here,  friend,"  old  Jack 
had  announced. 

Bardon  had  to  admit  that  the  switch  tower 
regime  was  in  perfect  working  order. 

Since  the  escape  of  Ike  Slump  and  Mort  Bemis 
and  the  new  disappearance  of  Wan  Sherwin,  not  a 
clew  as  to  the  course  or  whereabouts  of  the 
missing  trio  had  reached  either  Ralph  or  his 
friends. 

There  had  been  a  big  row  up  at  the  jail,  and 
one  of  the  under  officers  had  been  discharged 
under  suspicion. 

It  was  evident  that  someone  had  smuggled 
tools  and  ropes  into  the  jail,  for  these  were  found 
in  the  cell  through  the  forced  window  of  which 
Slump  and  Bemis  had  escaped. 

These  could  hardly  have  passed  proper  inspec- 
tion, if  hidden  in  food  or  clothing  brought  to  the 
prisoners  by  outsiders. 

"Of  course  old  Farrington's  man  did  the  job," 
asserted  Slavin. 

"Of  course  he  did,"  assented  Ralph.  "It  was 
the  cheapest  way  of  giving  his  troublesome  pen- 
sioners their  liberty." 

Van's  message  to  Ralph  had  a  very  encourag- 
ing tone  to  it.  He  evidently  had  a  clew  to  Mrs. 
Davis'  place  of  confinement,  and  "he  had  the 
stolen  documents." 


GUESSING  235 

As  the  days  went  by,  however,  Ralph  began  to 
grow  anxious,  and  his  mother  shared  his  worry. 
Ralph  had  told  her  everything  concerning  the 
rifled  tin  box.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  mainly 
troubled  over  the  possible  imprisonment  and  mis- 
treatment of  Mrs.  Davis. 

"The  poor  lady  has  suffered  a  great  deal  of 
trouble,"  she  remarked.  "Her  mind  was  none 
too  strong.  It  is  wicked  to  torture  her  further. 
Ralph,  can  we  do  nothing  to  force  Mr.  Farring- 
ton  to  tell  where  she  is?" 

"He  would  deny  having  ever  heard  of  Mrs. 
Davis,"  asserted  Ralph  convincedly.  "Of  course, 
if  any  mishap  or  failure  comes  to  Van,  and  he 
doesn't  report  soon,  I  will  see  a  lawyer  and  try 
and  compel  Farrington  to  some  action.  He  is  a 
shrewd,  cruel  man,  though,  mother.  I  am  afraid 
our  only  hope  is  in  Van,  or  the  recapture  of 
Slump  and  Bemis." 

"Have  they  tried  to  find  them  ?" 

"Mr.  Adair  has  been  searching  for  them  every' 
where.  He  believes  that  Farrington  assisted  in 
their  escape,  and  gave  them  a  large  amount  of 
money  to  leave  the  country." 

Gasper  Farrington  was  not  having  a  very 
happy  time  of  it.  Ralph  decided  this  that  morn- 
ing, as  he  noticed  the  magnate  pass  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street. 


236         RALPH  IX  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Farrington  looked  bent,  old,  and  troubled.  He 
had  sustained  a  total  loss  at  the  factory  fire.  Hi9 
tricky  methods  were  becoming  known  to  the  pub- 
lic. He  was  losing  the  respect  of  people.  This 
he  realized,  and  showed  it  both  in  bearing  and 
face. 

Ralph  was  thinking  about  all  this  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  depot  master's 
messenger  came  up  the  tower  ladder.  He  had  a 
pocketful  of  mail. 

"Postal  card  for  you,  Fairbanks."  he  said. 

Ralph  took  the  card  and  went  to  the  window  to 
inspect  it.  The  postal  was  blurred  over  and 
wrinkled,  back  and  front.  It  looked  as  if  it  had 
been  posted  after  being  wetted  by  snow  or  rain,  or 
in  some  stage  of  its  transmission  had  fallen  into 
a  mess  of  wet  dirt. 

Its  address  was  clear  enough.  It  bore  a  rail- 
way mail  postmark.  On  its  reverse  side  the  let- 
ters had  run  with  the  moisture. 

"From  Van,"  said  Ralph,  setting  himself  the 
difficult  task  of  deciphering  the  blurred  lines. 
"I  know  his  handwriting,  and  it  is  signed  'V.' 
It  was  written  in  a  hurry,  that  looks  certain. 
What  has  he  to  say?" 

Ralph  conned  the  imperfect  message  over  and 
over.  After  many  interruptions,  at  the  end  of 
fully  half  an  hour's  careful  study,  these  were  tbe 


GUESSING  237 

only  coherent  words  he  could  formulate  from  the 
blurred  scrawl : 


" hurry — and  important.  Don't  miss  tell- 
ing— Slump — Bemis — Wednesday  evening — safe 
— bank  shipment — express — found  out,  and  spe- 
cial freight — sure  to  be  there — not  later — near 
South  Dover — don't  delay  a  minute — will  soon-^» 
back  at  Stanley  Junction." 

"What  is  he  trying  to  tell  me?"  murmured 
Ralph  in  a  puzzled  and  anxious  way,  after  a  third 
and  fourth  reading  of  the  perplexing  message. 

He  finally  gave  up  guessing  what  the  missing 
links  in  the  postal  screed  might  be. 

"One  thing  is  certain,"  reflected  Ralph. 
"Wednesday  evening  something  is  on  the  books. 
The  only  other  definite  clew  is  South  Dover. 
Does  he  mean  for  me  to  meet  him  there  ?  Does  he 
mean  that  Slump  and  Bemis  are  in  that  neighbor- 
hood? There  is  something  about  a  bank  ship- 
ment, express,  and  special  freight.  That  means 
the  railroad  is  somehow  interested.  'Don't  miss,' 
he  writes,  'don't  delay.'  I  won't,"  resolved 
Ralph  keenly.  "I  wouldn't  dare  to,  with  such  a 
word  from  Van.  He  has  kept  mum  all  along. 
Now  that  he  does  speak  out,  it  certainly  means 
something  important." 


238         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

Ralph  thought  things  over  for  another  half- 
hour,  and  then  made  up  his  mind  what  he  would 
do. 

He  consulted  the  train  schedules.  Then  he 
explained  to  Knight  the  necessity  for  a  brief 
absence  from  duty.  Without  seeing  Slavin,  who 
had  been  sent  for  some  report  blanks  to  the  depot, 
Ralph  hurried  home. 

He  told  his  mother  about  the  postal  card, 
dressed  for  the  trip  down  the  road,  and  caught 
the  4.30  train.  Ralph  was  cordially  invited  to  a 
seat  in  the  cab  by  his  loyal  old  friend,  Engineer 
Griscom. 

It  was  nearly  dusk  when  the  train  reached 
South  Dover.  The  place  was  only  a  name. 
There  was  not  a  building  within  a  mile  of 
the  tool  sheds  and  water  tank  that  marked  the 
spot. 

The  train  slowed  up  for  Ralph,  who  jumped 
off.  He  waved  his  hand  to  Griscom  in  adieu,  and 
looked  all  about  him. 

South  Dover  was  a  switching  and  make-up 
point  for  the  accommodation  of  Dover  freight 
transfers.  It  had  a  dozen  sidings  and  spurs. 
Freight  coming  into  Dover  on  a  north  destination 
was  switched  here,  and  made  ready  to  be  taken  up 
by  through  trains. 

A  man  on  a  track  bicycle  had  just  set  some 


GUESSING  239 

lights.       He    whirled    away    towards    Dover    as 
Ralph  stood  looking  about  him. 

No  other  human  being  was  in  sight.  On  a 
near  siding  stood  half  a  dozen  freight  cars. 
Over  on  another  track,  near  the  water  tower, 
stood  a  dead  freight  dummy. 

"I  can't  make  out  much  here."  reflected  Ralph. 
"No  one  in  sight,  no  indication  why  Van  men- 
tioned the  place." 

He  strolled  over  to  the  dead  locomotive.  Its 
tender  was  full  of  coal.  Ralph  opened  the  fur- 
nace door.  Everything  was  ready  to  kindle  up, 
and  the  gauge  showed  a  full  water  supply. 

"I  see,"  mused  Ralph.  "There  is  to  be  some 
switching,  or  a  night  run.  I  don't  know  how 
soon,  though.  Well,  I'll  hang  around  a  bit. 
Something  may  develop." 

Ralph  walked  down  the  short  line  of  freights, 
casually  inspecting  the  cars.  As  he  came  to  the 
last  one  he  dodged  back  in  a  very  lively  fashion. 

Climbing  up  the  embankment  to  the  left  were 
four  persons.  They  had  just  emerged,  it  seemed, 
from  thick  underbrush  lining  the  tracks. 

Two  of  them  were  grown  men — bearded, 
rough-looking  fellows,  resembling  tramps. 

The  other  two  persons  of  the  group  had  a 
prompt  and  distinct  interest  to  Ralph.  He  at 
once  recognized  Ike  Slump  and  Mort  Bemis. 


240         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

They  were  coming  directly  towards  the 
freights.     Ralph  saw  the  clanger  of  discovery. 

The  door  of  the  car  next  to  the  last  box  freight 
was  ajar. 

Ralph  leaped  up  into  the  car  just  as  Ike  Slump 
reached  the  top  of  the  railroad  embankment. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

PRECIOUS    FREIGHT 

"Here  we  are !"  almost  immediately  sounded 
out  the  tones  of  Mort  Bemis. 

"Glad  of  it,"  growled  a  gruff,  breathless  voice, 
unfamiliar  to  the  listening  Ralph.  "We  are 
about  done  out  lugging  these  heavy  crowbars 
over  swamps  and  up  this  steep  climb." 

"Quick  action,  now/'  broke  in  Slump.  "Here, 
give  me  a  crowbar." 

Ralph  glided  to  the  end  of  the  box  car  he  was 
in.     He  got  near  its  little  rear  grated  window. 

Cautiously  he  looked  out.  Standing  at  the 
side  of  the  track  were  Bemis  and  the  two  tramps. 
One  of  them  held  a  crowbar.  Another  like  it 
Ike  was  extending  between  the  bumpers.  He 
knocked  up  the  coupling  pin  connecting  the  rear 
car  with  the  rest  of  the  train. 

Then  he  pried  against  the  head  of  the  pin,  and 
forced  it  out.     As  it  fell  to  the  roadbed,  he  said : 

"Watch  up  and  down  the  tracks,  Mort." 

"Oh,  there's  no  likelihood  of  anybody  coming 
for  three  hours,"  retorted  Bemis.     "The  express 

241 


242         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

has  passed,  and  the  signal  man.  The  switching 
crew  will  keep  snug  and  cozy  in  Hank  Allen's 
restaurant  up  at  Dover  till  schedule  time,  and  that 
isn't  till  nine  o'clock." 

"Well,  keep  a  sharp  lookout,  all  the  same.'' 
directed  Ike-.  "I  worked  up  this  deal,  and  I 
reckon  I  have  a  right  to  boss  the  job.  Come,  my 
friend,"  to  the  tramp  holding  the  other  crowbar. 
'Try  on  that  left  wheel.  I'll  take  the  right. 
Soon  as  we  get  momentum,  you  two  give  us  a 
shoulder.     Push,  till  I  say  let  go.     Understand?" 

Ralph  was  momentarily  bewildered.  The 
quartette  were  about  to  separate  the  last  car 
from  the  train.     Why  ? 

Ike  and  his  helper  got  their  crowbars  each 
under  a  wheel.  They  budged  the  car,  and  got  it 
fairly  started.  Then  they  yelled  to  the  other 
two,  and,  dropping  the  crowbars,  joined  them  ir> 
pushing  the  car  along  by  sheer  shoulder  strength 

Ralph  stared  after  them  in  doubt  and  concerrj 
Then  as  they  took  a  switch  with  rusted  rails,  he 
clearly  saw  their  object. 

The  wheels  of  the  detached  freight  car,  strik- 
ing a  sharp  slant,  ran  away  from  the  persons  who 
had  started  it  up. 

They  stood  still,  gazing  after  the  runaway.  It 
moved  on  with  sharpening  speed,  took  a  curve, 
and  was  shut  out  from  view. 


PRECIOUS  FREIGHT  243 

For  fully  two  minutes  afterwards,  however, 
Ralph  could  catch  the  diminishing  clatter  of  the 
fast  revolving  wheels.  The  others  stood  listen- 
ing, too. 

It  was  fairly  dusk  now.  As  the  quartette  ap- 
proached the  remaining  cars,  Ralph  noticed  that 
Mort  Bemis  was  chuckling.  Ike  Slump's  face 
wore  an  expression  of  intense  satisfaction.  They 
all  halted  as  they  reached  the  stationary 
freights. 

"Here,"  spoke  Ike,  "we  don't  need  those  any 
longer." 

He  seized  the  crowbars  in  turn  lying  on  the 
roadbed.  He  gave  them  a  swing,  sending  them 
in  among  the  long  grass  at  the  side  of  the  em- 
bankment. 

''Done  quite  neatly,"  spoke  Bemis.  "Now 
then,  fellows — back  the  way  we  came.  Horse 
and  wagon  all  ready?" 

"Yes,"  assented  one  of  the  tramps. 

"Make  it  lively,  then.  We  can  get  around  to 
the  switch  off  where  that  car  has  come  to  a  stop, 
in  about  an  hour." 

"Then  for  the  safe,  and  a  fortune  apiece!" 
cried  Ike  excitedly.  "Say,  Mort,  the  five  hun- 
dred we  lost  on  the  races  looks  a  fleabite  to  what 
we'll  divide  up  in  the  next  two  hours!" 

"I  don't  see  why  you  didn't  drive  right  up  here 


244-         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

and  dump  the  safe?"  suggested  one  of  the  men  of 
the  party. 

''Don't  you?"  spoke  Ike.  "Well,  you'd  have  a 
fine  time,  driving  over  that  boggy  waste,  wouldn't 
you?  Besides,  that  spur  is  never  used.  No 
chance  of  any  meddlers  where  that  car  is  now. 
The  train  crew  won't  be  here  till  nine  o'clock. 
When  they  do  come,  even  if  they  miss  the  car, 
they  won't  suspect  where  it  has  gone  to." 

"Correct,"  assented  Mort  Bemis  in  a  jubilant 
tone.  "Oh,  we're  working  on  greased  rollers! 
Come,  let's  go  around  for  the  horse  and  wagon, 
and  get  that  safe  in  our  claws." 

The  quartette  descended  the  embankment  and 
disappeared  from  view.  Ralph  jumped  from  the 
car  the  moment  they  were  out  of  sight. 

In  the  light  of  the  overheard  conversation  and 
recent  doings  of  Slump  and  his  companions,  the 
young  leverman  was  pretty  well  able  to  conjec- 
ture what  they  were  doing. 

Van's  blurred  message  grew  clearer  now. 
Ralph  doubted  not  but  that  Slump  and  Bemis  had 
projected  and  were  carrying  out  a  daring  rob- 
bery. 

According  to  what  they  had  said,  the  detached 
car  had  aboard  some  very  valuable  freight :  noth- 
ing less  than  a  safe.  And  Ike  had  intimated  that 
it  contained  "a  fortune  aniece." 


PRECIOUS  FREIGHT  245 

This  seemed  incredible  to  Ralph.  All  the 
same,  he  realized  that  they  had  isolated  the  car  to 
loot  it. 

"In  an  hour  they  will  have  their  booty,"  he  re- 
flected rapidly.  "Can  I  foot  it  to  Dover  in  time? 
No  way  to  wire.     Why,  I'll  do  it!" 

A  quick  idea  came  into  Ralph's  mind.  He 
would  anticipate  the  robbers.  He  ran  fast  as  he 
could  to  the  locomotive  on  the  siding. 

Ralph  Fairbanks  never  valued  his  practical 
/oundhouse  experience  so  greatly  as  during  the 
ensuing  fifteen  minutes. 

He  knew  all  about  a  locomotive,  for  he  had 
been  a  shop  hand  to  some  profit.  He  lit  the  fire, 
set  the  steam  gauges,  piled  on  the  coal.  Steam 
up,  he  backed  towards  the  spur,  stopped,  opened 
a  switch,  and  glided  west  after  the  runaway 
car. 

As  he  rounded  a  curve  he  noticed  that  the  spur 
had  two  tracks,  and  he  had  by  chance  taken  the 
outer  one. 

The  tracks  ran  parellel,  however.  There  must 
be  switches  further  on,  he  decided,  and  he  put  on 
a  fair  head  of  steam  and  sped  on  his  way. 

The  spur  ran  in  and  out  a  hilly  district  with 
numerous  curves.  At  length  there  was  a  level 
stretch.  Ralph  whizzed  by  the  detached  car, 
standing  stationary  at  the  end  of  a  steep  grade 


246         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  main  rails 
where  it  had  been  started. 

He  took  a  new  curve,  slowed  up,  and  began 
looking  for  a  switch.  The  tracks  ended  near  a 
dismantled  ruin.  It  had  evidently  once  been  in 
use  as  a  factory,  but  now,  like  the  spur  tracks, 
was  abandoned. 

At  this  terminus  were  several  switches.  Ralph 
got  righted  on  the  inside  rails  and  started  back 
for  the  detached  car. 

There  were  as  many  as  four  curves  to  pass,  all 
breasting  elevations  at  the  side.  Ralph  pro- 
ceeded rather  slowly.  As  he  reached  the  finaJ 
open  stretch,  however,  his  hand  came  down 
sharply  on  the  lever. 

He  pulled  the  throttle  open.  A  glance  had 
warned  him  that  there  was  no  time  now  to 
dally. 

It  was  not  quite  dark  yet.  Some  lanterns  were 
now  at  the  side  of  the  detached  car. 

Near  it  was  a  horse  and  wagon.  The  side 
door  of  the  car  was  open.  One  of  the  tramps  was 
carrying  a  rope  from  the  wagon.  The  other  was 
just  climbing  into  the  car. 

Ralph  drove  the  locomotive  forward  so 
promptly  that  the  alarmed  shout  of  the  man  com- 
ing from  the  wagon  was  mingled  with  a  resound- 
ing crash,  as  the  bulkheads  of  U>*  cow-catchef 


PRECIOUS  FREIGHT  247 

struck  the  end  of  the  car.  The  freight  was  mo- 
mentarily lifted  from  its  trucks.  Then  car  and 
engine  swept  on. 

The  tramp,  just  climbing  into  the  car  when  the 
contact  came,  was  knocked  free  of  his  hold  by 
the  shock.  He  went  keeling  over  and  over  in 
the  gravel  by  the  side  of  the  track. 

From  the  inside  of  the  car  sounded  loud  and 
fervent  yells.  Ralph  kept  his  eye  fixed  on  the 
side  of  the  freight.  A  head  was  thrust  out — two 
of  them. 

Staring  back  in  startled  wonder,  Ike  Slump 
and  Mort  Bemis  saw  what  had  happened,  and 
marvelled. 

They  did  not  attempt  to  jump.  Ralph  believed 
that  they  recognized  him.  Whether  this  were 
true  or  not,  just  as  the  locomotive  reached  the 
main  road  bed  a  report  rang  out.  A  bullet 
smashed  in  the  front  window  of  the  cab. 

Ralph  dodged  down.  His  enemies  were  driven 
to  desperate  straits.  He  held  back  from  the  win- 
dow out  of  range,  but  kept  his  hand  firmly  on  the 
lever. 

A  glance  showed  what  he  was  running  into. 
The  stationary  freights  blocked  his  course. 
Ralph  slowed  up.  Then,  as  the  expected  contact 
came,  he  put  on  full  steam  again. 

A  momentary  halt  had  given  Bemis  a  chance  to 


248         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

leave  the  detached  car  in  safety.  As  the  locomo- 
tive glided  by  he  grabbed  at  its  step. 

Ralph  threw  out  one  foot.  It  met  Mort's  jaw, 
and  sent  him  spinning  clear  of  his  hold. 

The  locomotive  was  now  pushing  the  entire 
train.  Ralph's  heart  began  to  beat  fast.  He 
dared  not  stop,  for  Slump  was  probably  armed, 
and  his  confederates  might  come  in  pursuit. 

Ralph  did  not  know  what  he  might  run  into, 
or  what  might  run  into  him.  He  was  a  "wild" 
of  the  most  reckless  description.  It  was  make  or 
break  for  Dover,  now ! 

"He's  jumped !"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

A  dark  form,  that  of  Ike  Slump,  leaped  from 
the  car  ahead  as  it  passed  a  morass.  Ralph  ven- 
tured to  lean  out  of  the  cab  window. 

He  could  make  out  the  nearing  lights  of  Dover. 
Glancing  back,  he  saw  by  the  signals  that  the 
tracks  were  clear  for  the  regular  service. 

Toot-toot-too-oot-too-oot ! 

Far  and  wide  rang  the  ear-splitting  alarm 
signal.  Ralph  kept  it  up  continuously.  Then, 
as  he  neared  the  crossings  tower  lights  at  Dover, 
he  shut  off  steam  and  jolted  down  to  a  dead 
stop. 

Glancing  back  and  ahead,  he  saw  the  signals 
change  in  a  flash,  blocking  all  rails. 

A  lantern  moved  down  the  tracks.     Two  men 


PRECIOUS  FREIGHT  c2^q 

came  running  towards  the  freights  and  along 
them  till  they  reached  the  locomotive. 

One  of  the  men  was  evidently  the  head  tower- 
man.     He  glared  wildly  up  at  Ralph. 

"What  in  thunder  is  this?"  he  cried. 

"Why,  you  may  call  it  a  special,"  answered 
Ralph  promptly. 

"Special  ?"  roared  the  irate  towerman — "special 
what  ?" 

"A  special  treasure  train,  I  would  call  it,  from 
what  I  learn,"  said  Ralph  coolly.  "I  have  just 
tun  it  clear  of  four  robbers,  and  I  understand  it 
has  'four  fortunes'  in  it." 


CHAPTER  XXXI 
half  a  million  dollars 

"Name?" 

'"Fairbanks." 

"Ah,  I  have  heard  of  you.  Towerman  at 
Stanley  Junction — first  name  Ralph?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Wasn't  it  you  who  made  that  terrifically 
heroic  run  through  the  fire  at  the  Acton  freight 
yards  with  engineer  John  Griscom?" 

"I  was  there,  yes,"  admitted  Ralph  modestly. 

"Thought  so.  Shake.  Proud  to  know  you, 
Mr.  Fairbanks,  and  glad  to  see  you  are  keeping 
your  name  clean  and  bright  on  the  railroad  roll 
of  honor." 

"Thank  you." 

Ralph  sat  in  the  room  of  the  assistant  superin* 
tendent  at  Dover,  an  hour  after  taking  the  special 
into  safety.  He  had  made  a  brief  explanation  to 
the  towerman.  The  freights  were  sidetracked, 
a  dozen  watchmen  guarded  the  cars,  as  many 
specials  were  sent  back  to  South  Dover  to  attempt 
the  capture  of  the  robbers. 
250 


HALF  A  MILLION  DOLLARS  251 

''Here,"  spoke  the  assistant  superintendent, 
summoning  a  messenger,  "take  that  wire  for 
Stanley  Junction.  Fairbanks,  do  you  happen  to 
know  that  you  have  done  an  amazing  thing?" 

Ralph  shook  his  head  with  an  uncertain  smile. 

"Well,  you  have.  I  have  wired  the  Junction 
that  you  can't  go  back  to-night." 

"But  my  leave  of  absence  was  only  temporary." 

"Don't  let  that  disturb  you  at  all,"  said  the  as- 
sistant superintendent.  "The  road  needs  you 
here  at  present.  I  fancy  the  road  will  be  very 
likely  to  acknowledge  your  services  of  to-night. 
You  have  prevented  the  theft  of  half  a  million 
dollars." 

Ralph  started  at  this  monstrous  statement.  It 
seemed  incredible. 

"That  is  right.  The  real  owner  of  the  sum 
will  probably  give  you  a  bank  calendar  free,  or 
sue  the  Great  Northern  for  delay.  All  the  same, 
the  road  feels  its  obligation  to  you,  and  I  want 
you  to  know  it.  You  will  have  to  stay  here  till 
we  get  this  matter  straightened  out.  You  see, 
you  are  the  only  person  who  can  identify  those 
robbers — if  they  are  caught.  You  will  stay  at 
my  home  to-night." 

The  assistant  superintendent  then  went  over 
the  entire  matter  in  detail,  and  Ralph  heard  an 
interesting  story. 


252         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

A  parsimonious  country  banker — who  seemed 
to  be  a  sort  of  second  edition  of  Gasper  Farring- 
ton — had  decided  to  move  his  bank  from  its 
original  location  to  a  point  two  hundred  miles 
distant. 

Too  niggardly  to  purchase  the  security  of  his 
money  by  sending  it  by  express,  he  had  put  it  and 
his  securities  in  a  small  safe.  This  he  had  boxed 
up,  and  had  shipped  it  by  special  freight  as 
merchandise. 

How  Slump  and  Bcmis  had  got  wind  of  the 
proceeding,  Ralph  could  only  theorize.  They 
had  certainly  planned  well  to  make  oft  with  this 
magnificent  booty. 

How  Van  Sherwin  had  been  able  to  send  the 
intimation  he  had  to  Ralph,  was  yet  to  be  ex- 
plained. 

The  railroad  official  treated  Ralph  like  a  prince. 
Both  of  the  tramps  were  captured  and  placed  in 
jail.  They  claimed  they  had  simply  been  hired 
by  Slump  and  Bemis  to  work  for  them. 

The  next  morning  the  banker  who  had  so 
nearly  lost  his  banking  capital  arrived  in  hot 
haste. 

He  proceeded  to  express  his  precious  belong- 
ings the  rest  of  the  way — for  which  the  express 
company  proceeded  to  charge  him  as  strong  as 
the  case  would  stand. 


HALF  A  MILLION  DOLLARS  253 

"Ha,  hum,"  this  individual  observed,  as  he 
shook  Ralph's  hand — "a  slight — ha,  hum — testi- 
monial.    Don't  mention  it!" 

Ralph  exhibited  a  dollar  bill  to  the  curious  and 
furious  assistant  superintendent  as  the  banker 
withdrew.  Then  he  handed  it  to  the  messenger, 
with  the  remark : 

"You  take  your  own  risk  in  trying  to  pass  it !" 

Just  before  noon  Ralph  was  given  a  telegTam 
from  Stanley  Junction,  signed  by  Slavin. 

It  read : 

"Hear  you  are  at  Dover,  so  I  will  wire. 
Needed  in  S.  J.  V.  S.  and  Mrs.  D.  here,  G.  F.  in 
a  panic.     Quick  action  needed.     Come." 

Ralph  told  the  assistant  superintendent  of  the 
urgent  message. 

"Of  course  you  must  go,"  said  the  latter,  "but 
you  will  have  to  come  down  and  identify  the  two 
prisoners  in  court  in  a  day  or  two.  By  the  way, 
we  have  sent  a  full  report  of  the  case  to  head- 
quarters. I  would  suggest,  Fairbanks,  if  you  are 
tired  of  tower  service,  you  won't  have  to  ask  for 
promotion." 

"Not  tired  of  it,  sir,"  explained  Ralph,  "only 
anxious  to  get  higher  up  the  ladder  as  fast  as  I 
can." 


254         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Very  good.  You've  earned  a  good  boost  this 
time,"  declared  the  assistant  superintendent. 

Ralph  reached  Stanley  Junction  just  after  dark. 
He  left  the  train  at  the  limits  and  took  a  short 
tut  home. 

The  front  of  the  little  cottage  was  aglow  with 
cheerful  light,  and  he  knew  there  was  "company." 

Ralph  burst  in  upon  his  good  friend,  Van, 
with  a  boisterous  welcome.  More  gently,  but 
none  the  less  sincerely,  he  greeted  Mrs.  Davis. 
She  sat  in  a  comfortable  armchair,  rather  pale 
and  feeble-looking,  but  smiling  through  her  happy 
tears. 

Young  Slavin  occupied  a  humble  seat  at  one 
side  of  the  room. 

"Lawyer  made  me  come,"  he  whispered  to 
Ralph, — "waiting  for  him  now." 

"What  lawyer?"  inquired  Ralph  in  surprise. 

"One  Van  got.  Oh,  he's  been  running  all  the 
switches  this  afternoon,  I  can  tell  you!" 

Just  there  Van  beckoned  to  Ralph,  and  led  him 
into  an  adjoining  room,  closing  the  door  on  the 
others. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

CONCLUSION 

"You  had  best  know  just  how  things  stand," 
remarked  Van  Sherwin,  as  he  proceeded  to  tell 
an  interesting  story. 

Van  had  learned  from  Ralph's  note  sent  to  him 
to  the  town  jail  that  Ike  Slump  or  Mort  Bemis 
had  the  documents  stolen  from  Mrs.  Davis'  little 
tin  box. 

He  had  watched  his  fellow  prisoners  closely, 
finally  discovering  that  the  papers  were  carried 
by  Slump  in  a  secret  inner  coat  pocket. 

The  very  night  that  Slump  and  Bemis  escaped, 
Van  with  a  window  pole  reached  into  the  cell,  got 
the  garment  in  question,  and  left  his  own  coat  in 
its  place. 

He  secured  the  stolen  documents.  Folded  in 
with  them  was  a  receipt  for  somebody's  board  at 
a  place  called  Millville.  Van  decided  that  this 
was  the  place  where  Mrs.  Davis  was  imprisoned, 
or  detained. 

He  intended  to  gain  his  freedom  in  the  morn- 
ing early.  In  the  meantime,  as  the  reader  is 
255 


256         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

aware,  Slump  and  Bcmis  escaped.  The  former 
was  probably  unaware  in  the  darkness  that  he 
was  wearing  Van's  coat  instead  of  his  own. 

Van  started  forthwith  to  locate  Mrs.  Davis. 
He  found  there  were  two  Millvilles,  and  it  was 
several  days  before  he  settled  down  on  the  right 
one.  It  took  several  more  to  locate  Mrs.  Davis' 
present  guardians. 

They  proved  to  be  a  wretched  couple  in  an 
isolated  farmhouse.  They  kept  their  prisoner  in 
a  barred  attic  room. 

Mrs.  Davis  had  missed  a  paper  which  told 
where  the  tin  box  was  secreted.  This  her  jailers 
had  probably  given  to  Slump,  who  thus  ob- 
tained a  clew  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the 
documents. 

Van  managed  to  rescue  Mrs.  Davis  without 
being  discovered  by  her  guardians.  That  very 
day  he  came  upon  Slump  and  Bemis  near  the  old 
farmhouse. 

He  secreted  himself  and  overheard  some  of 
their  conversation.  They  had  squandered  all  of 
their  ready  money,  and  dared  not  return  to  Stan- 
ley Junction.  They  had  come  to  the  farmhouse 
to  remove  Mrs.  Davis,  and  with  her  in  their  hands 
blackmail  Farrington  afresh. 

They  had  discovered  her  escape,  and  then  they 
talked   of   a   last   desperate   scheme.     It   was  to 


CONCLUSION  257 

"hold  up"  something  or  somebody  at  South 
Dover. 

Van  could  not  leave  Mrs.  Davis,  to  follow  or 
pursue  them.  He  wrote  the  hurried  postal  to 
Ralph  that  had  got  wet  and  blurred  in  transmis- 
sion, but,  despite  which  fact,  Ralph  had  managed 
to  utilize  with  such  grand  results. 

Mrs.  Davis'  secret  was  a  simple  one.  As  has 
been  said,  her  husband  was  none  other  than  Van's 
adopted  father,  Fanvell  Gibson,  who  had  been 
fleeced  by  Gasper  Farrington  along  with  Ralph's 
own  father. 

The  magnate  had  maligned  Gibson  so  that 
Mrs.  Gibson  left  him.  They  became  strangers, 
and  later  Farrington  claimed  he  was  dead. 

Mrs.  Gibson,  or  Mrs.  Davis  as  she  now  called 
herself,  became  quite  poor.  She  discovered 
among  some  old  papers  an  agreement  between 
herself,  Mr.  Fairbanks,  and  Gasper  Farrington 
about  the  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  rail- 
road bonds. 

This  document  showed  plainly  that  in  equity 
she  had  a  quarter  interest,  and  Mrs.  Fairbanks 
the  balance  in  these  bonds  really  held  in  trust 
by  Farrington. 

She  had  come  to  Stanley  Junction  to  sell  this 
paper  to  Farrington.  Embittered  by  her  sad 
£astt  she  had  no  thoughts  of  the  rights  of  others^ 


258         RALPH  W  TH'E  'SWITCH  TOWER 

until  Ralph  did  her  a  kindly  act  and  changed  all 
the  motives  of  her  life. 

Now,  after  learning  from  Van  how  her  hus- 
band had  been  wronged  and  misrepresented  by 
Farrington,  she  longed  to  secure  her  five  thou- 
sand dollars  to  assist  him  in  beginning  his  short- 
line  railroad. 

"There  will  be  a  happy  reunion,"  Van  told 
Ralph.  "As  to  the  money,  the  twenty  thousand 
dollars,  I  have  had  a  lawyer  working  on  her  claim 
and  yours  all  day  long.  They  say  that  Slump 
wrote  a  letter  to  some  friend  here,  telling  all  about 
Farrington's  dealings  Avith  him.  The  local  paper 
threatens  an  expose,  and  this,  with  the  factory 
fire  and  our  claim,  has  driven  the  miserable  old 
schemer  nearly  to  his  wits'  end.  Ah,  there  is  the 
lawyer  now." 

Ralph  knew  the  legal  gentleman  in  question. 
They  rejoined  the  others  in  the  front  parlor. 

"Have  you  seen  Farrington?"  asked  Van 
promptly. 

"No,"  responded  the  lawyer.  "He  has 
secluded  himself,  and  refuses  to  be  seen.  I  have 
had  to  deal  with  him  through  his  attorney.  It 
has  been  quibble  and  evasion  all  day  long.  Just 
now,  however,  they  arrived  at  an  ultimatum." 

"What  is  it?"  inquired  Ralph. 
r-  "Farrington  is  near  to  nervous  collapse.     His 


CONCLUSION  259 

losses  and  his  fears  of  disgrace  have  driven  him 
to  leave  Stanley  Junction  until  the  storm  has 
blown  over.  His  lawyer  admits  the  justice  of 
our  claim.  He  asks  that  they  be  given  a  little 
time  to  settle  it." 

"Not  an  hour,  if  the  claim  is  just  and  right!" 
declared  Ralph  sternly.  "We  have  been  kept  out 
of  our  rights  all  these  years." 

"Then  I  have  a  suggestion  to  make,"  said  the 
lawyer.  "I  have  no  doubt  whatever  of  your  forc- 
ing payments  in  time.  The  only  thing  is,  that 
crafty  old  fox,  Farrington,  will  scheme  for  de- 
lay. He  intends  to  get  it  by  taking  a  trip  to 
Europe." 

"Out  of  the  country?"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

"So  I  learn.  In  fact,  he  has  left,  or  is  leaving 
now.  That  will  be  unfortunate  for  your  case. 
Now,  if  you  could  get  service  on  him  before  he 
leaves,  you  head  off  his  dilatory  arrangements." 

"What  kind  of  service  ?"  asked  Van. 

"A  legal  demand  of  your  claim,  to  be  proven  in 
court  if  he  does  not  settle.  That  would  bring  his 
lawyer  to  time.  I  have  prepared  the  demand — in 
fact,  I  have  a  man  waiting  outside  to  serve  it — if 
you  can  suggest  any  way  to  reach  Farrington." 

"Why,  if  he  is  leaving  for  Europe  to-night," 
said  Ralph,  arising  to  his  feet  and  consulting  his 
watch,  "he  will  have  to  take  the  southern  train." 


260         RALPH  IN  THE  SWITCH  TOWER 

"Not  from  the  Stanley  Junction  depot,  I 
fancy,"  observed  the  lawyer. 

"No,  he  will  probably  get  on  at  the  limits,  or 
clown  at  Acton,  and  take  the  train  there." 

"See  here,"  spoke  up  Slavin  suddenly — "leave 
this  to  me,  will  you?" 

"How  do  you  mean?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Send  your  man  with  me,"  said  Slavin  to  the 
lawyer.  "The  railroad  people  will  give  me  every 
chance  to  nab  my  man,  if  I  tell  them  it's  for  Ralph 
Fairbanks." 

"Very  good,"  nodded  the  lawyer  with  satis- 
faction, "try  it  with  my  man,  if  you  will." 

There  was  so  much  to  discuss,  that  Ralph,  Van, 
and  the  two  ladies  sat  up  until  long  past  mid- 
night. 

Just  as  they  were  retiring,  the  lawyer's  mes- 
senger appeared  at  the  front  door  of  the  cot- 
tage. 

"O.  K.,"  he  said,  with  a  chuckle. 

"Got  your  man  ?"  asked  Van. 

"Sure  thing.  Farrington  sneaked  on  to  the 
train  at  Acton,  disguised,  and  hid  in  a  sleeper. 
The  conductor  knew  Fairbanks  here,  and  Slavin 
did  the  rest.  Snaked  him  out  of  his  berth,  and 
made  him  acknowledge  our  legal  demand.  He's 
off  for  Europe,  but  I'll  warrant  won't  tangle  up 
his  affairs  here  by  letting  you  sue.     But  he  has  al- 


CONCLUSION  261 

ready    wired    his    lawyer    to    settle    with    you 
people." 

"Good!"  shouted  Ralph,  and  his  face  showed 
his  pleasure. 

Everything  seemed  working  out  happily. 
Ralph  came  up  into  the  switch  tower  with  a' 
bright,  cheery  face,  next  morning. 

"Hello,  Slavin,  he  said,  noticing  his  muscular 
young  friend  at  the  levers — "practicing?" 

"No,  sir — on  duty,"  answered  Slavin  with 
great  dignity. 

"What's  that?"  demanded  Ralph  sharply. 

"Sure,"  coolly  nodded  Slavin,  giving  the  levers 
a  truly  professional  swing.     "Don't  talk  to  the 
leverman  when  he's  busy — rule  of  the  office,  you  j 
know,  for  outsiders." 

"Ho!  ho!"  chuckled  old  Jack  Knight. 

"Outsiders?"  repeated  Ralph.    "Call  me  one?" 

"Ask  Mr.  Knight." 

Ralph  looked  inquiringly  at  the  veteran  tower- 
man. 

"That's  right,"  assented  Knight.  "Superin- 
tendent was  just  here.  Put  Slavin  on  the  levers, 
and  wants  you  up  at  headquarters." 

"What  for?"  asked  Ralph. 

"Says  you're  due  for  promotion.  Asked  me 
what  I  thought  about  your  choice.  I  told  him 
fireman." 


2fi2         RALPH  IN  THE  S IV ITCH  TOWER 

Ralph's  eyes  sparkled  with  pleasure. 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Knight,"  he  said.  "If  it's  to 
be  another  step  up  the  ladder,  I  would  like  it  to  be 
in  just  that  line." 

"You  take  another  rung  sure,  that's  settled," 
declared  old  Jack  proudly.  "And — you'll  get  to 
the  top !" 

One  hour  later  Ralph  Fairbanks  was  officially 
instructed  by  the  superintendent  of  the  Great 
Northern,  that  he  had  been  promoted  to  a  new 
branch  of  service. 

How  did  he  succeed  ?  How  well,  and  how  his 
influence  and  example  helped  the  success  of  his 
loyal  railroad  friends,  will  be  told  in  a  succeeding 
.volume  to  be  called  "Ralph  on  the  Engine;  or, 
The  Young  Fireman  of  the  Limited  Mail." 

For  the  time  being  he  was  very  happy  and  so 
was  his  mother.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  felt  certain 
that  they  would  soon  be  in  possession  of  the 
property  Gasper  Farrington  had  so  long  kept 
from  them. 

"I  think  so  myself,  mother,"  said  Ralph,  and 
then  he  added  with  enthusiasm :  "Isn't  it  wonder- 
ful how  we  have  prospered!" 

"Yes,  Ralph." 

"And  to  think  that  I  am  to  be  a  regularly  ap- 
pointed fireman,"  he  continued. 

"I  can  see  that  you  are  bound  to  be  a  railroad 


CONCLUSION  263 

man,  Ralph,"  answered  the  fond  parent  with  a 
faint  smile.  "Well,  you  take  after  your  father. 
I  surely  wish  you  the  best  of  luck  in  your  chosen 
calling." 

And  so  do  we;  is  that  not  so,  gentle  reader? 


STHE  END 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   SETTLED    BACK   ON  A   SLANT. 
Hal/ili  en  the  Engine.  Frontispiece     (Page  10.) 


RALPH     ON     THE 
ENGINE 

OR 

THE  YOUNG  FIREMAN  OF 
THE  LIMITED  MAIL 


BY 

ALLEN   CHAPMAN 


NEW    YORK 

GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 

Made  in  the  United  Statu  of   America 


Copyright.  1909.  by 
GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 


Ralph  on  the  Engint 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

I. 

.The.  Night  Run 

1 

II. 

The.  Landslide 

9 

III. 

Everybody's   Friend       .... 

.       19 

IV. 

An    Old-Time    Enemy 

.       27 

V. 

On   Special   Duty        .... 

.      35 

VI. 

Zeph 

43 

VII. 

Limpy  Joe's  Railroad  Restaurant  . 

50 

VIII. 

The  Hidden  Plunder  .... 

58 

IX. 

A   Suspicious   Proceeding   . 

66 

X. 

The   Special 

73 

XI. 

Kidnapped 

82 

XII. 

The    Railroad    President    . 

89 

XIII. 

The  Short-Line  Railway  . 

97 

XIV. 

A  Railroad  Strike       .... 

106 

XV. 

The   Runaway   Train 

116 

XVI. 

Car  No.  9176 

124 

XVII. 

Under  Sealed  Orders 

132 

XVIII. 

The  Strike  Leader      .... 

142 

XIX. 

The  Wire  Tappers 

150 

XX. 

In   Peril 

159 

XXI. 

A  Friend  in  Need 

165 

XXII. 

The  Limited  Mail       . 

1/3 

XXIII. 

The   Picnic  Train       . 
iii 

181 

Iv 

CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

PAGE 

XXIV. 

Tx   "The   Barrens" 190 

XXV. 

Too    Late 

rt7 

XXVI. 

The  Mad  Engineer 

205 

XXVII. 

A  New  Mystery  . 

213 

XXVIII. 

The  Freight  Thieves 

219 

XXIX. 

A    Prisoner    . 

,    226 

XXX. 

The  Lost   Diamonds  . 

235 

XXXI. 

Justice  at  Last — Con 

clusiok 

241 

RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

CHAPTER  I 
the  night  run 

"Ralph  Fairbanks." 

"On  hand,  sir." 

"You  are  to  relieve  Fireman  Cooper  on  the 
Dover  slow  freight." 

"All  right,  sir." 

Ralph  Fairbanks  arose  from  the  bench  on 
which  he  was  seated  in  the  roundhouse  at  Stanley 
Junction. 

Over  a  dozen  men  had  been  his  companions  for 
the  past  hour.  There  were  engineers  waiting  for 
their  runs,  firemen  resting  after  getting  their 
locomotives  in  order,  and  "extras,"  who,  like  the 
young  railroader  himself,  were  so  far  on  the 
substitute  list  only. 

Ralph  was  glad  of  his  appointment.  This  was 
his  second  month  of  service  as  a  fireman.  It  had 
been  by  no  means  regular  employment,  and,  as 


2  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

he  was  industrious  and  ambitious,  he  was  glad  tc 
get  at  work  with  the  prospect  of  a  steady  run. 

The  foreman  of  the  roundhouse  had  just 
turned  from  his  desk  after  marking  Ralph's  name 
on  the  list  when  a  man  hurriedly  entered  the  place. 
He  was  rather  unsteady  in  his  gait,  his  face  was 
flushed,  and  he  looked  dissolute  and  unreliable. 

"Give  me  the  slow  freight  run,  Forgan,"  he 
panted.     "I'm  listed  next." 

"Two  minutes  late,"  observed  the  foreman,  in 
a  business-like  way. 

"That  don't  count  on  a  stormy  night  like  this." 

"System  counts  in  this  establishment  always, 
Jim  Evans,"  said  Mr.  Forgan. 

"I  ran  all  the  way." 

"Stopped  too  long  at  the  corner  saloon,  then," 
put  in  Dave  Adams,  a  veteran  engineer  of  the 
road. 

Evans  glared  at  the  man  who  spoke,  but  recog- 
nizing a  privileged  character,  stared  down  the 
row  of  loiterers  and  demanded : 

"Who's  got  my  run?" 

"Do  you  own  any  particular  run,  Jim?"  in- 
quired Adams,  with  a  grin. 

"Well,  Griscom's  was  due  me." 

"Young  Fairbanks  was  on  hand,  so  it's  his  run 
now." 

"That  kid's,"  sneered  Evans,  turning  on  Ralph 


THE  NIGHT  RUN  3 

with  angry  eyes.  "See  here,  young  fellow,  do 
you  think  it's  square  cutting  in  on  a  regular  man 
this  way?" 

"I'll  answer  that,"  interposed  Tim  Forgan 
sharply.  "He  was  here,  you  weren't.  He  holds 
the  run  till  a  better  man  comes  along." 

Evans  stood  glaring  at  Ralph  for  a  few  min- 
utes.   Then  he  moved  to  the  youth's  side. 

"See  here,  kid,"  he  observed,  "I  want  this  run 
specially.  It'll  be  a  regular,  for  Cooper  is  going 
with  another  road.  I'm  a  man  and  must  earn  a 
man's  wages.  You're  only  a  kid.  I've  got  a 
family.  Come,  give  me  the  run  and  I'll  treat  you 
handsomely,"  and  the  speaker  extended  a  cigar. 

"Thank  you,  I  don't  smoke,"  said  Ralph.  Then 
looking  the  man  squarely  in  the  eyes,  he  said: 
"Mr.  Evans,  I'll  give  up  the  run  on  one  condi- 
tion." 

"What's  that?"  inquired  Evans  eagerly. 

"If  you  will  sign  the  pledge,  work  steadily,  and 
give  your  wages  to  your  family  as  you  should 
do." 

"I'll  do  it!"  shouted  Evans,  not  a  whit  shame- 
facedly. 

"No,  you  won't,"  announced  Eorgan.  "Fair- 
banks, kindness  is  kindness,  but  business  is  busi- 
ness. If  you  drop  this  run,  it  goes  to  the  next 
extra  on  the  list  according  to  routine." 


4  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

"Bah,  you're  all  down  on  me!"  flared  out 
Evans,  and  left  the  place  in  a  rage. 

"It  would  do  no  good,  Fairbanks,  to  help  that 
man,"  observed  Dave  Adams.  "He  would  sign 
anything  to  secure  a  personal  advantage  and  never 
keep  his  word.  He  squanders  all  his  money  and 
won't  last  long  in  the  Great  Northern,  I  can  tell 
you." 

Ralph  went  outside  as  he  heard  a  whistle  down 
the  rails.     Evans  was  standing  near  a  switch. 

"Some  kind  of  a  plot,  eh,  you  and  your 
friend?"  he  sneered  at  Ralph. 

"I  don't  know  what  you  mean,  Mr.  Evans," 
replied  Ralph. 

"Oh,  yes,  you  do.  Forgan  is  partial  to  you. 
The  others  don't  like  me  because  I'm  a  crack  man 
in  my  line.  One  word,  though ;  I'll  pay  you  off 
for  this  some  time  or  other,"  and  Evans  left  the 
spot  shaking  his  fist  at  Ralph  menacingly. 

"One  of  the  bad  kind,"  mused  Ralph,  looking 
after  the  fellow,  "not  at  all  fit  for  duty  half  the 
time.  Here  comes  one  of  the  good  kind,"  he 
added  as  a  freight  engine  with  a  long  train  of 
cars  attached  steamed  up  at  the  roundhouse.  "It's 
my  run,  Mr.  Griscom." 

"That's  famous  news,"  cried  old  John  Griscom, 
genuinely  pleased. 


THE  NIGHT  RUN  g 

"Good  evening,  Mr.  Cooper,"  said  Ralph,  as 
the  fireman  leaped  from  the  cab. 

"Hello,"  responded  the  latter.  "You  got  the 
run?  Well,  it's  a  good  man  in  a  "good  man's 
place." 

"That's  right,"  said  Griscom.  "None  better. 
In  to  report,  Sam?  Good-bye.  Shovel  in  the 
Coal,  lad,"  the  speaker  directed  Ralph.  "It's  a 
bad  night  for  railroading,  and  we'll  have  a  hard 
run  to  Dover." 

Ralph  applied  himself  to  his  duties  at  once.  He 
opened  the  fire  door,  and  as  the  ruddy  glow 
illuminated  his  face  he  was  a  picture  pleasant  to 
behold. 

Muscular,  healthy,  in  love  with  his  work, 
friendly,  earnest  and  accommodating,  Ralph  Fair- 
banks was  a  favorite  with  every  fair-minded  rail- 
road man  on  the  Great  Northern  who  knew  him. 

Ralph  had  lived  at  Stanley  Junction  nearly  all 
of  his  life.  His  early  experiences  in  railroading 
have  been  related  in  the  first  volume  of  the  pres- 
ent series,  entitled  "Ralph  of  the  Roundhouse." 

Ralph's  father  had  been  one  of  the  pioneers 
who  helped  to  build  the  Great  Northern.  When 
he  died,  however,  it  was  found  that  the  twenty 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  stock  in  the  road  he 
was  supposed  to  own  had  mysteriously  disap- 
peared. 


6  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

Further,  his  home  was  mortgaged  to  old 
Gasper  Farrington,  a  wealthy  magnate  of  the 
village.  This  person  seemed  to  have  but  one  ob- 
ject in  life;  to  drive  the  widow  Fairbanks  and 
her  son  from  Stanley  Junction. 

Ralph  one  day  overheard  Farrington  threaten 
to  foreclose  a  mortgage,  and  the  youth  suddenly 
realized  his  responsibilities.  Leaving  school,  he 
secured  a  job  in  the  roundhouse  at  Stanley  Junc- 
tion. Here,  notwithstanding  the  plots,  hatred  and 
malice  of  a  worthless,  'good-for-nothing  fellow 
named  Ike  Slump,  whose  place  he  took,  Ralph 
made  fine  progress.  He  saved  the  railroad  shops 
from  wholesale  destruction,  by  assisting  John 
Griscom  to  run  an  engine  into  the  flames  and 
drive  a  car  of  powder  out  of  the  way.  For  this 
brave  deed  Ralph  secured  the  friendship  of  the 
master  mechanic  of  the  road  and  was  promoted 
to  the  position  of  junior  leverman. 

In  the  second  volume  of  this  series,  entitled 
''Ralph  in  the  Switch  Tower,"  another  vivid 
phase  of  his  ability  and  merit  has  been  depicted. 
He  rendered  signal  service  in  saving  a  special 
from  disaster  and  prevented  a  treasure  train  from 
being  looted  by  thieves. 

Among  the  thieves  was  his  old-time  enemy,  Ike 
Slump,  and  a  crony  of  his  named  Mort  Bemis. 
They   had  been  hired  by  Farrington  to  harass 


THE  NIGHT  RUN  7 

Ralph  in  every  way  possible.  Ralph  had  searched 
for  the  motive  to  the  old  man's  animosity. 

He  learned  that  Farrington  had  appropriated 
his  father's  railroad  stock  on  an  illegal  technical- 
ity, and  that  the  mortgage  on  their  homestead  had 
once  been  paid  by  Mr.  Fairbanks. 

Once  knowing  this,  Ralph  undertook  the  task 
of  proving  it.  It  required  some  clever  work  to 
unmask  the  villainous  miser,  but  Ralph  succeeded, 
and  Farrington,  to  escape  facing  disgrace,  left  the 
town,  ostensibly  for  Europe. 

In  unmasking  the  old  man  Ralph  was  assisted 
by  one  Van  Sherwin,  a  poor  boy  whom  he  had 
befriended.  Van  and  a  former  partner  of  Gasper 
Farrington,  named  Farwell  Gibson,  had  secured 
a  charter  to  build  a  short  line  railroad  near  Dover, 
in  which  project  Ralph  was  very  much  interested. 

As  has  been  said,  Ralph  had  now  been  a  fire- 
man for  two  months,  but  heretofore  employed  in 
yard  service  only. 

"It's  the  chance  of  my  life,"  he  cried  cheerily, 
as  he  piled  in  the  coal,  "and  what  a  famous  part- 
ner is  dear,  bluff,  honest  old  John  Griscom!" 

"Won't  have  me  for  a  partner  long,  lad,"  re- 
plied the  veteran  engineer  with  a  slight  sigh,  as  he 
moved  the  lever. 

"Why  not,  Mr.  Griscom?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Eyes  giving  out.     Had  to  drop  the  Daylight 


8  RALPH  ON  THE  EXGIXE 

Express.  I'm  going  down  the  ladder,  you  are 
going  up  the  ladder.  Stick  to  your  principles,  lad, 
for  they  are  good  ones,  as  I  well  know,  and  you'll 
surely  reach  the  top." 

"I  hope  so."  said  Ralph. 

The  locomotive  gave  a  sharp  signal  whistle, 
and  the  slow  freight  started  on  its  night  run  for 
Dover. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  LANDSLIDE 

"Trouble  ahead !" 

"What's  that,  Fairbanks?" 

"And  danger.  Quick!  slow  down,  or  we're  in 
for  a  wreck." 

Ralph  Fairbanks  spoke  with  suddenness.  As 
he  did  so  he  leaped  past  the  engineer  in  a  flash, 
clearing  the  open  window  space  at  the  side. 

Two  minutes  previous  the  old  engineer  had 
asked  him  to  go  out  on  the  locomotive  to  adjust 
some  fault  in  the  air  gauge.  Ralph  had  just  at- 
tended to  this  when  he  made  a  startling  discovery. 

In  an  instant  he  was  in  action  and  landed  on 
the  floor  of  the  cab.  He  sprang  to  his  own  side 
of  the  engine,  and  leaning  far  out  peered  keenly 
ahead. 

They  were  now  in  a  deep  cut  which  ended  a 
steep  climb,  and  the  engine  had  full  steam  on  and 
was  making  fairly  good  speed. 

"My  bad  eyes — "  began  Griscom,  and  then  he 


10  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

quivered  in  every  nerve,  for  a  tremendous  shock 
nearly  sent  him  off  his  seat. 

"Just  in  time,"  cried  Ralph,  and  then  he  held 
his  breath. 

Slowing  down,  the  train  had  come  to  a  crash- 
ing halt.  The  locomotive  reared  upon  its  forward 
wheels  and  then  settled  back  on  a  slant,  creaking 
at  every  joint.  Ralph  had  swung  the  air  lever  or 
there  would  have  been  a  catastrophe. 

"What  was  it?"  gasped  Griscom,  clearing  his 
old  eyes  and  peering  ahead,  but  Ralph  was  gone. 
Seizing  a  lantern,  he  had  jumped  to  the  ground 
and  was  at  the  front  of  the  locomotive  now.  The 
engineer  shut  off  all  steam  after  sounding  the 
danger  signal,  a  series  of  several  sharp  whistles, 
and  quickly  joined  his  assistant. 

In  front  of  the  locomotive,  obstructing  the  rails 
completely,  was  a  great  mass  of  dirt,  gravel  and 
rocks. 

"A  landslide."  spoke  Griscom,  glancing  up  one 
steep  side  of  the  cut. 

"If  we  had  struck  that  big  rock  full  force," 
observed  Ralph,  "it  would  have  been  a  bad 
wreck." 

"You  saved  us  just  in  time,"  cried  the  old 
engineer.  "I've  often  wondered  if  some  day 
there  wouldn't  be  just  such  a  drop  as  this  of  some 
of  these  overhanging  cliffs.     Company  ought  to 


THE  LANDSLIDE  gg 

see  to  it.     It's  been  a  fierce  rain  all  the  evening, 
perhaps  that  loosened  the  mass." 

"Hardly,"  said  Ralph  thoughtfully,  and  then, 
inspecting  a  glazed  piece  of  paper  with  some 
printing  on  it  he  had  just  picked  up,  he  looked 
queerly  at  his  companion. 

"Give  them  the  trouble  signal  in  the  caboose, 
please,  Mr.  Griscom,"  said  the  young  fireman. 
"I  think  I  had  better  get  back  there  at  once.  Have 
you  a  revolver?" 

"Always  carry  one,"  responded  Griscom. 

"Keep  it  handy,  then," 

"Eh !"  cried  the  engineer  with  a  stare.  "What 
you  getting  at,  lad?" 

"That  is  no  landslide,"  replied  Ralph,  pointing 
at  the  obstruction. 
.    "What  is  it  then?" 

"Train  wreckers — or  worse,"  declared  Ralph 
promptly.  "There  is  no  time  to  lose,  Mr.  Gris- 
com," he  continued  in  rapid  tones. 

"Of  course,  if  not  an  accident,  there  was  a 
purpose  in  it,"  muttered  Griscom,  reaching  into 
(his  tool  box  for  a  weapon,  "but  what  makes  you 
think  it  wasn't  an  accident?" 

Ralph  did  not  reply,  for  he  was  gone.  Spring- 
ing across  the  coal  heaped  up  in  the  tender,  he 
climbed  to  the  top  of  the  first  freight  car  and 
started  on  a  swift  run  the  length  of  the  train. 


12  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

The  young  fireman  was  considerably  excited. 
He  would  not  have  been  a  spirited,  wide-awake 
boy  had  he  been  otherwise.  The  paper  he  had 
found  among  the  debris  of  the  obstruction  on  the 
rails  had  an  ominous  sentence  across  it,  namely; 
"Handle  With  Care,  Dynamite." 

This,  taken  in  connection  with  what  had  at 
first  startled  him,  made  Ralph  feel  pretty  sure 
that  he  had  not  missed  his  guess  in  attributing  the 
landslide  to  some  agency  outside  of  nature. 

While  adjusting  the  air  gauge  Ralph  had  no- 
ticed a  flare  ahead,  then  a  lantern  light  up  the  side 
of  the  embankment,  and  then,  in  the  blaze  of  a 
wild  flash  of  lightning,  he  had  witnessed  the 
descent  of  a  great  tearing,  tossing  mass,  landing 
in  the  railroad  cut. 

"It  can  mean  only  a  hold-up,"  theorized  Ralph. 
"Yes,  I  am  quite  right." 

He  slowed  down  in  his  wild  dash  over  the  car 
tops,  and  proceeded  with  caution.  Down  at  the 
end  of  the  train  he  saw  lights  that  he  knew  did 
not  belong  to  the  train  hands. 

Ralph  neared  the  caboose  and  then  dropped 
flat  to  the  top  of  the  car  he  was  on.  Peering  past 
its  edge,  he  made  out  a  wagon,  half-a-dozen  men, 
and  the  train  hands  backed  to  the  side  of  the  cut 
and  held  captive  there  by  two  of  the  stranger*,, 
who  menaced  them  with  revolvers. 


THE  LANDSLIDE 


13 


Then  two  others  of  the  marauding-  gang  took 
crowbars  from  the  wagon,  and  one,  carrying  a 
lantern,  proceeded  along  the  side  of  the  cars  in- 
specting the  freight  cards. 

"They  must  know  of  some  valuable  goods  on 
the  train,"  reflected  Ralph. 

It  was  an  ideal  spot  for  a  train  robbery,  be- 
tween two  stations,  and  no  train  was  due  for 
several  hours. 

Ralph  was  in  a  quandary  as  to  his  best  course 
of  procedure.  For  a  moment  he  considered  going 
for  Griscom  and  arming  himself  with  a  bar  of 
rod. 

"It  would  be  six  to  two  and  we  would  get  the 
worst  of  it,"  he  decided.  "There  is  only  one  thing 
to  do — get  back  to  Brocton.  It's  less  than  a  mile. 
Can  I  make  it  before  these  fellows  get  away  with 
their  plunder?    Good!  a  patent  coupler." 

The  boy  fireman  had  crept  to  the  end  of  the 
car  next  to  the  caboose.  Glancing  down,  he  dis- 
covered that  the  couplings  were  operated  by  a 
lever  bar.  Otherwise,  he  could  never  have  forced 
up  the  coupling  pin. 

The  cars  were  on  a  sharp  incline,  in  fact,  one  of 
the  steepest  on  the  road.  Ralph  relied  on  simple 
gravity  to  escape  the  robbers  and  hasten  for  relief. 

"There's  some  one!" 

Careful  as  Ralph  was,  he  was  discovered.     A 


14  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

voice  rang  out  in  warning.  Then  with  a  quick, 
bold  snap,  Ralph  lifted  the  coupler  and  the  pin 
shot  out.  He  sprang  to  the  forward  platform  of 
the  caboose.  As  the  car  began  to  recede,  he 
dashed  through  its  open  door. 

"Just  in  time.  Whew!"  ejaculated  Ralph, 
"those  fellows  are  desperate  men  and  doing  this 
in  true,  wild  western  style." 

The  caboose,  once  started,  began  a  rapid  back- 
ward rush.  Ralph  feared  that  its  momentum 
might  carry  the  car  from  the  track. 

A  curve  turned,  and  the  lights  of  Brocton  were 
in  sight.  Before  the  runaway  caboose  slowed 
down  entirely  it  must  have  gone  fully  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile. 

Ralph  jumped  from  the  car,  and  ran  down  the 
tracks  at  his  best  speed.  He  was  breathless  as  he 
reached  the  little  depot.  It  was  dark  and  de- 
serted, but  opposite  it  was  the  one  business  street 
of  the  town. 

Ralph  left  the  tracks  finally  and  made  a  dash 
for  the  open  entrance  of  the  general  store  of  the 
village.  The  usual  crowd  of  loiterers  was  gath- 
ered there. 

"Hello!  what's  this?"  cried  the  proprietor,  as 
the  young  fireman  rushed  wildly  into  the  store. 

"Fireman  on  the  Dover  freight,"  explained 
Ralph  breathlessly. 


THE  LAXDSLIDE  z$ 

"What's  the  trouble — a  wreck?" 

"No,  a  hold-up.  Men!  get  weapons,  a  handcar, 
if  there  is  one  here,  and  we  may  head  off  the 
robbers." 

It  took  some  urging  to  get  that  slow  crowd 
into  action,  but  finally  half-a-dozen  men  armed 
with  shotguns  were  running  down  the  tracks  fol- 
lowing Ralph's  lead. 

It  was  a  steep  climb  and  several  fell  behind, 
out  of  breath.  One  big  fellow  kept  pace  with 
Ralph. 

"There  they  are,"  spoke  the  latter  as  they 
rounded  a  curve. 

Lights  showed  in  the  near  distance.  A  flash  of 
lightning  momentarily  revealed  a  stirring  scene. 
The  robbers  were  removing  packages  from  a  car 
they  had  broken  into,  and  these  they  were  loading 
into  their  wagon  at  the  side  of  the  train. 

"Hurry  up,  hurry  up!"  Ralph's  companion 
shouted  back  to  his  comrades.  "Now,  then,  for 
a  dash,  and  we'll  bag  those  rogues,  plunder,  ri'g 
and  all." 

"Wait,"  ordered  Ralph  sharply. 

He  was  too  late.  The  impetuous  villager  was 
greatly  excited  and  he  ran  ahead  and  fired  off  his 
gun,  two  of  the  others  following  his  example. 

Ralph  was  very  sorry  for  this,  for  almost  in- 
stantly the  robbers  took  the  alarm  and  all  lights 


1 6  RALPH  OX  THE  EXCIXE 

near  the  caboose  were  extinguished.  The  echo  of 
rapid  orders  reached  the  ears  of  the  relief  party. 
Fairly  upon  the  scene,  a  flash  of  lightning  showed 
the  wagon  being  driven  rapidly  up  a  road  leading 
from  the  cut. 

"Look  out  for  yourselves,"  suggested  Ralph. 
"Those  men  are  armed." 

"So  are  we,  now!"  sharply  sounded  the  voice 
of  one  of  the  men  from  Brocton,  and  another 
flash  of  lightning  showed  the  enemy  still  in  view. 

"Up  the  road  after  them!"  came  a  second 
order. 

Ralph  ran  up  to  the  side  of  the  caboose. 

"All  safe?"  he  inquired  anxiously. 

"All  but  one  of  us,"  responded  the  conductor. 

Ralph  lit  a  lantern,  noticing  one  of  the  train 
hands  lying  on  the  ground  motionless. 

"He's  a  fighter,  Tom  is,"  said  the  conductor. 
"He  resisted  and  grappled  with  one  of  the  rob- 
bers, and  another  of  them  knocked  him  senseless." 

"What's  this  in  his  hand?"  inquired  Ralph. 
"Oh,  I  see — a  cap.  Snatched  it  from  the  head  of 
his  assailant,  I  suppose.  Hark!  they  are  shooting 
up  there." 

Shots  rang  out  along  the  cut  road.  In  a  few 
minutes,  however,  the  men  from  Brocton  re- 
appeared in  the  cut. 


THE  LANDSLIDE 


17 


"No  use  wasting  our  lives  recklessly,"  said,  one 
of  them.  "They  have  bullets,  we  only  small  shot. 
The  wagon  got  away.  We'll  hurry  back  to  Broc- 
ton,  get  a  regular  posse  armed  with  rifles,  and 
search  the  country  for  the  rascals." 

"What's  the  damage?"  inquired  Ralph  of  the 
conductor,  going  to  the  side  of  the  car  that  had 
been  broken  open. 

"Pretty  big,  I  should  say,"  responded  the  con- 
ductor. "That  car  had  a  consignment  of  valuable 
silks  from  Brown  &  Banks,  in  the  city,  and  they 
piled  a  fair  load  of  it  into  their  wagon.  You  have 
saved  a  wholesale  plundering  of  the  car." 

The  men  from  Brocton  departed.  Ralph  helped 
the  train  crew  revive  the  poor  fellow  who  had 
been  knocked  insensible.  They  carried  him  into 
the  caboose,  applied  cold  water  to  his  head,  and 
soon  had  him  restored  to  consciousness. 

"Fix  the  red  lights,"  ordered  the  conductor  to 
a  brakeman,  "and  then  hurry  to  Brocton  and  have 
them  telegraph  the  train  dispatcher.  "What's  the 
trouble  ahead,  Fairbanks?" 

Ralph  explained.  Shovels  and  crowbars  were 
brought  from  the  caboose,  and  two  of  the  train 
crew  accompanied  him  back  to  the  locomotive. 

Ralph  thought  of  the  cap  he  had  stuck  in  his 
pocket.  He  looked  it  over  carefully  in  the  light 
of  the  lantern  he  carried. 


1 8  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGIXE 

On  the  leather  band  inside  of  the  cap  were  two 
initials  in  red  ink — "I.  S." 

"Ike  Slump,"  murmured  Ralph. 

An  old-time  enemy  had  appeared  on  the  scene, 
and  the  young  fireman  of  the  Great  Northern 
knew  that  he  would  have  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout 
or  there  would  be  more  trouble. 


CHAPTER  III 

Everybody's  friend 

"Stand  back  there,  you  fellows !" 
"Scatter,  boys — it's  Ralph  Fairbanks!" 
It  was  two  days  after  the  landslide  near  Broc- 
ton.  The  young  fireman  had  just  left  the  round- 
house at  Stanley  Junction  in  a  decidedly  pleasant 
mood.  His  cheering  thoughts  were,  however, 
rudely  disturbed  by  a  spectacle  that  at  once  ap- 
pealed to  his  manly  nature. 

Ralph,  making  a  short  cut  for  home,  had  come 
across  a  farmer's  wagon  standing  in  an  alley  at  the 
side  of  a  cheap  hotel.  The  place  was  a  resort  for 
dissolute,  good-for-nothing  railway  employes, 
and  one  of  its  victims  was  now  seated,  or  rathef 
propped  up,  on  the  seat  of  the  wagon  in  question. 
He  was  a  big,  loutish  boy,  and  had  apparently 
come  into  town  with  a  load  to  deliver.  The 
wagon  was  filled  with  bags  of  apples.  Around 
the  vehicle  was  gathered  a  crowd  of  boys.  Each 
one  of  them  had  his  pockets  bulging  with  the 
fruit  stolen  from  one  of  the  bags  in  the  wagon. 

19 


20  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

Standing  near  by,  Jim  Evans  in  their  midst, 
was  an  idle  crowd  of  railroad  men,  enjoying  and 
commenting  on  the  scene. 

The  farmer's  boy  was  seemingly  asleep  or  un- 
conscious. He  had  been  set  up  on  the  seat  by  the 
mob,  and  one  side  of  his  face  blackened  up.  Apples 
stuck  all  over  the  harness  of  the  horses  and  on 
every  available  part  of  the  vehicle.  A  big  board 
lying  across  the  bags  had  chalked  upon  it,  "Take 
One." 

The  crowd  was  just  about  to  start  this  spectacle 
through  the  public  streets  of  Stanley  Junction 
when  Ralph  appeared.  The  young  fireman 
brushed  them  aside  quickly,  removed  the  adorn- 
ments from  the  horses  and  wagon,  sprang  to  the 
vehicle,  threw  the  sign  overboard,  and,  lifting  up 
the  unconscious  driver,  placed  him  out  of  view 
under  the  wagon  seat.  As  he  did  so,  Ralph 
noticed  the  taint  of  liquor  on  the  breath  of  the 
country  lad. 

"Too  bad,"  he  murmured  to  himself.  "This 
doesn't  look  right — more  like  a  piece  of  malice  or 
mischief.    Stand  back,  there!" 

Ralph  took  up  the  reins,  and  also  seized  the 
whip.  Many  of  the  crowd  he  had  known  as  school 
chums,  and  most  of  them  drew  back  shamefacedly 
as  he  appeared. 

There  were  four  or  five  regular  young  loafers, 


EVERYBODY'S  FRIEND  2l 

however,  who  led  the  mob.  Among  them  Ralph 
recognized  Ted  Evans,  a  son  of  the  fireman  he 
had  encountered  at  the  roundhouse  two  days 
previous.  With  him  was  a  fellow  named  Hemp 
Gaston,  an  old  associate  of  Mort  Bemis. 

"Hold  on,  there!"  sang  out  Gaston,  grabbing 
the  bridles  of  the  horses.  "What  you  spoiling 
our  fun  for?" 

"Yes,"  added  Ted  Evans,  springing  to  the 
wagon  step  and  seizing  Ralph's  arm.  "Get  off 
that  wagon,  or  we'll  pull  you  off." 

Ralph  swung  the  fellow  free  of  the  vehicle 
with  a  vigorous  push. 

"See  here,  you  interfere  with  my  boy  and  I'll 
take  a  hand  in  this  affair  myself,"  growled  Jim 
Evans,  advancing  from  the  crowd  of  men. 

"You'll  whip  me  first,  if  you  do,"  answered  one 
of  them.  "This  is  a  boys'  squabble,  Jim  Evans, 
and  don't  you  forget  it." 

"Humph!  he  struck  my  boy." 

"Then  let  them  fight  it  out." 

"Yes,"  shouted  young  Evans  angrily,  "come 
down  here  and  show  that  you  are  no  coward." 

"Very  well,"  said  Ralph  promptly.  "There's 
one  for  you !" 

Ralph  Fairbanks  had  acted  in  a  flash  on  an 
impulse.  He  had  leaped  from  the  wagon,  dealt 
young  Evans  one  blow  and  sent  him  half -stunned 


22  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

to  the  ground.  Regaining  the  wagon  he  drove 
quickly  into  the  street  before  his  astonished 
enemies  could  act  any  further. 

"Poor  fellow,"  said  Ralph,  looking  at  the  lad 
in  the  wagon.  "Now,  what  am  I  ever  going  to  do 
with  him?*' 

Ralph  reflected  for  a  moment  or  two.  Then 
he  started  in  the  direction  of  home.  He  was 
sleepy  and  tired  out,  and  he  realized  that  the 
present  episode  might  interfere  with  some  of  his 
plans  for  the  day,  but  he  was  a  whole-hearted, 
sympathetic  boy  and  could  not  resist  the  prompt- 
ings of  his  generous  nature. 

The  young  fireman  soon  reached  the  pretty 
little  cottage  that  was  his  home,  so  recently  res- 
cued from  the  sordid  clutches  of  old  Gasper  Far- 
rington.  He  halted  the  team  in  front  of  the  place 
and  entered  the  house  at  once. 

"Here  I  am,  mother,"  he  said  cheerily. 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  greeted  him  with  a  smile  of 
glad  welcome. 

"I  was  quite  anxious  about  you  when  I  heard 
of  the  wreck,  Ralph,"  she  said  with  solicitude- 
He  had  not  been  home  since  that  happening. 

"It  was  not  a  wreck,  mother,"  corrected  Ralph. 
Then  he  briefly  recited  the  incidents  of  the  hold** 
up. 

"It  seems  as  though  you  were  destined  to  meeS 


EVERYBODY'S  FRIEND 


23 


with  all  kinds  of  danger  in  your  railroad  life," 
said  the  widow.  "You  were  delayed  consider- 
ably." 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph,  "we  had  to  remove  the 
landslide  debris.  That  took  us  six  hours  and 
threw  us  off  our  schedule,  so  we  had  to  lay  over 
at  Dover  all  day  yesterday.  One  pleasant  thing, 
though." 

"What  is  that,  Ralph?" 

"The  master  mechanic  congratulated  me  this 
morning  on  what  he  called,  'saving  the  train.'  " 

"Which  you  certainly  did,  Ralph.  Why,  whose 
wagon' is  that  in  front  of  the  house?"  inquired 
Mrs.  Fairbanks,  observing  the  vehicle  outside  for 
the  first  time. 

Ralph  explained  the  circumstances  of  his  rescue 
of  the  vehicle  to  his  mother. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  the  farmer's 
boy?"  she  inquired. 

"I  want  to  bring  him  in  the  house  until  he 
recovers." 

"Very  well,  I  will  make  up  a  bed  on  the  lounge 
for  him,"  said  the  woman.  "It  is  too  bad,  poor 
fellow !  and  shameful — the  mischief  of  those  men 
at  the  hotel." 

Ralph  carried  the  farmer's  boy  into  the  house. 
Then  he  ate  his  breakfast.  After  the  meal  was 
finished,  he  glanced  at  his  watch. 


24  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

"I  shall  have  to  lose  a  little  sleep,  mother,"  he 
said.  "I  am  anxious  to  help  the  poor  fellow  out, 
and  I  think  I  see  a  way  to  do  it." 

The  young  fireman  had  noticed  a  small  blank 
book  under  the  cushion  of  the  wagon  seat.  He  now 
inspected  it  for  the  first  time.  All  of  its  written 
pages  were  crossed  out  except  one.  This  con- 
tained a  list  of  names  of  storekeepers  in  Stanley 
Junction. 

Ralph  drove  to  the  store  first  named  in  the  list. 
Within  two  hours  he  had  delivered  all  of  the 
apples.  It  seemed  that  the  storekeepers  named 
in  the  account  book  ordered  certain  fruits  and 
vegetables  regularly  from  the  owner  of  the  team, 
the  farmer  himself  coming  to  town  to  collect  for 
the  same  twice  each  month. 

When  Ralph  got  back  home  he  unhitched  the 
horses,  tied  them  up  near  the  woodshed,  and  fed 
them  from  a  bag  of  grain  he  found  under  the 
wagon  seat. 

''What  is  this,  I  wonder?"  he  said,  discovering 
a  small  flat  parcel  under  the  wagon  seat.  The 
package  resembled  a  store  purchase  of  some  kind, 
so,  for  safe  keeping,  Ralph  placed  it  inside  the 
shed. 

His  mother  had  gone  to  visit  a  sick  neighbor. 
The  farmer  boy  was  sleeping  heavily. 

"Wake  me  before  the  boy  leaves,"  he  wrote  on 


EVERYBODY'S  FRIEND 


25 


a  card,  leaving  this  for  his  mother  on  the  kitchen 
table.  Then,  pretty  well  tired  out,  Ralph  went  to 
bed. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  he  awoke. 
He  went  down  stairs  and  glanced  into  the  sitting 
room. 

"Why,  mother,"  he  exclaimed,  "where  is  the 
farmer  boy?" 

"He  left  two  Hours  ago,  Ralph." 

"Is  that  so?  i..en  why  didn't  you  wake  me 
up?    I  left  a  card  for  you  on  the  kitchen  table." 

"I  did  not  find  it,"  said  the  widow,  and  then  a 
search  revealed  the  card  where  the  wind  had 
blown  it  under  the  stove. 

"What  did  the  boy  say?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"He  told  me  his  name  was  Zeph  Dallas.  I 
talked  to  him  about  his  misfortunes  of  the  morn- 
ing, and  he  broke  down  and  cried.  Then  he  went 
out  to  the  wagon.  He  found  an  account  book 
there,  and  said  you  must  have  delivered  his  load 
for  him,  and  that  he  would  never  forget  your 
kindness." 

"There  was  a  package  in  the  wagon,"  said 
Ralph. 

"He  spoke  of  that,  and  said  some  one  must 
have  stolen  it." 

"You  are  sure  he  didn't  find  it  later?"  inquired 


26  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

Ralph.  "It  was  in  the  woodshed,  where  I  placed 
it  for  safe  keeping." 

Ralph  went  out  to  the  shed,  and  found  the 
package  where  he  had  left  it.  He  returned  to  the 
house  with  it,  ate  a  hurried  meal,  and  hastened 
down  town.  He  learned  that  Zeph  had  called  at 
several  stores.  The  farmer  boy  appeared  to  have 
discovered  Ralph's  interest  in  his  behalf,  and  had 
driven  home. 

"I  wonder  what  there  is  in  the  package?" 
mused  Ralph,  when  he  again  reached  the  cottage. 
"I  had  better  open  it  and  find  out." 

The  young  fireman  was  quite  startled  as  he  un- 
tied the  parcel  and  glanced  at  its  contents.  The 
package  contained  two  bolts  of  silk,  and  the  tags 
on  them  bore  the  name  of  the  firm  which,  Ralph 
had  learned  at  Dover,  had  shipped  the  goods 
stolen  from  the  slow  freight  two  nights  previous. 


CHAPTER  IV 

AN   OLD-TIME   ENEMY 

"New  engine,  lad?" 

"Not  at  all,  Mr.  Griscom,  as  you  well  know,'* 
answered  Ralph. 

The  veteran  engineer  chuckled,  but  he  con- 
tinued looking  over  the  locomotive  with  admiring 
eyes. 

The  young  fireman  had  come  to  work  early 
that  afternoon.  The  roundhouse  men  were  care- 
less and  he  decided  to  show  them  what  "elbow 
grease"  and  industry  could  do.  In  an  hour  he 
had  the  old  freight  locomotive  looking  indeed  like 
a  new  engine. 

They  steamed  out  of  the  roundhouse  and  were 
soon  at  the  head  of  their  freight  train. 

"I  wish  I  had  a  little  time  to  spare,"  said 
Ralph. 

"Half-an-hour  before  we  have  to  leave,  you 
know,  lad,"  said  Griscom.  "What's  troubling 
you?" 

"I  wanted  to  see  Bob  Adair,  the  road  detective." 

27 


28  RALPH  ON  THE  EXGIXE 

"About  the  silk  robbery?"  inquired  the  en- 
gineer with  interest. 

"Yes." 

"Something  new?" 

"Considerable,  I  think." 

"You  might  find  him  in  the  depot  offices.  Run 
down  and  see.     I'll  attend  to  things  here." 

"Thanks,  Mr.  Griscom." 

Ralph  hurried  away  from  the  freight  train. 
He  wished  to  report  about  the  discovery  of  the 
silk,  and  hunt  up  Zeph  Dallas  at  once. 

"I  hardly  believe  the  farmer  boy  a  thief," 
mused  Ralph,  "but  he  must  explain  his  possession 
of  that  silk." 

The  young  fireman  did  not  find  Adair  at  the 
depot,  and  came  back  to  the  engine  to  discover 
Jim  Evans  lounging  in  the  cab. 

"Been  helping  Griscom  out,"  grinned  the  man. 

"Well,  get  out,  now,"  growled  Griscom.  "Time 
to  start  up.  There's  the  signal  from  the  con- 
ductor. That  man  has  been  hanging  around  the 
engine  ever  since  you  left,"  the  old  engineer  con- 
tinued to  Ralph,  "and  he  is  too  good-natured  to 
suit  me." 

"Nothing  out  of  order."  reported  the  youth, 
looking  about  the  cab. 

"Now,  lad,  for  a  run  on  time,"  said  Griscom. 


AN  OLD-TIME  ENEMY  29 

"This  run  has  been  late  a  good  deal,  and  I  don't 
want  to  get  a  bad  name.  When  I  ran  the  Day- 
light Express  it  was  my  pride  and  boast  that  we 
were  always  on  time  to  the  minute." 

They  made  good  time  out  of  Stanley  Junction 
to  Afton.  Ten  miles  beyond,  however,  there  was 
a  jolt,  a  slide  and  difficult  progress  on  a  bit  of  up- 
grade rails. 

So  serious  was  the  difficulty  that  Griscom 
stopped  the  train  and  got  out  to  investigate.  He 
returned  to  the  cab  with  a  set,  grim  face. 

"Grease,"  he  reported;  "some  one  has  been 
tampering  with  the  rails.     Spite  work,  too." 

There  was  fully  an  hour's  delay,  but  a  liberal 
application  of  sand  to  the  rails  helped  them  out. 
Five  miles  later  on  the  locomotive  began  to  puff 
and  jerk.  With  full  steam  on,  the  engine  did  only 
half  duty. 

"Water  gauge  all  right,"  said  Ralph.  "I  don't 
understand  it." 

"I  do,"  said  Griscom,  "and  I  can  tell  it  in  two 
words — Jim  Evans." 

"Why,  what  do  you  mean,  Mr.  Griscom?" 

"He  didn't  come  into  the  cab  for  nothing.  Yes, 
we  are  victims  of  the  old  trick — soap  in  the  water 
and  the  valves  are  clogged." 

"What  are  we  going  to  do  about  it?"  inquired 
Ralph  anxiously. 


30  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

"Pump  out  the  water  at  the  next  tank  and  take 
ji  new  supply  on." 

There  was  a  further  delay  of  nearly  two  hours. 
Once  more  they  started  up.  Ten  miles  from 
Dover,  a  few  seconds  after  Ralph  had  thrown  in 
coal,  a  terrible  explosion  threw  the  fire  cover  open 
and  singed  and  burned  both  engineer  and  fire- 
man. 

Griscom  looked  angry,  for  the  fire  now  needed 
mending. 

"Lad,"  he  said  grimly,  "these  tricks  are  done 
to  scare  you  and  delay  the  train." 

"I  am  not  scared  one  particle,"  retorted  Ralph, 
"only  this  strikes  me  as  a  dangerous  piece  of  mis- 
chief— putting  explosives  in  among  the  coal." 

"Jim  Evans  did  it,"  positively  asserted  Griscom. 
"That's  what  he  sneaked  into  the  cab  for,  and  he 
has  confederates  along  the  line." 

Ralph  said  nothing  but  he  resolved  to  call 
Evans  to  account  when  he  returned  to  Stanley 
Junction. 

They  were  over  an  hour  late  on  the  run.  Re- 
turning to  Stanley  Junction,  they  were  delayed  by 
a  wreck  and  the  time  record  was  bad  at  both  ends 
of  the  line. 

"I  don't  like  it,"  said  Griscom. 

"We'll  mend  it,  Mr.  Griscom,"  declared  the 
young  fireman,  and  he  did  not  go  home  when  they 


AN  OLD-TIME  ENEMY 


31 


reached  Stanley  Junction,  but  proceeded  at  once 
to  the  home  of  Jim  Evans. 

Ralph  knocked  at  the  open  door,  but  no  one 
answered  the  summons  and  he  stepped  to  the  door 
of  the  sitting  room. 

"Any  one  here?"  he  called  out  through  the 
house. 

"Eh?  oh — no,"  answered  a  muffled  voice,  and 
a  man  in  the  adjoining  room  got  up  quickly  and 
fairly  ran  out  through  the  rear  door. 

"That's  queer,"  commented  Ralph.  "That  man 
actually  ran  away  from  me." 

"Ma  has  gone  after  pa,"  lisped  a  little  urchin 
in  the  kitchen.  "Man  wants  to  see  him.  What 
for  funny  man  run  away?" 

Ralph  hurried  past  the  infantile  questioner  and 
after  the  object  of  his  curiosity. 

"Yes,  the  man  did  look  funny,  for  a  fact,"  said 
Ralph.  "He  was  disguised.  There  he  is.  Hey, 
there!  whoever  you  are,  a  word  with  you." 

He  was  now  in  close  pursuit  of  a  scurrying 
figure.  The  object  of  his  curiosity  turned  to  look 
at  him,  stumbled,  and  went  headlong  into  a  ditch.' 

Ralph  came  to  the  spot.  The  man  lay  groaning 
where  he  had  fallen. 

"Help  me,"  he  muttered  —  "I'm  nearly 
stunned." 


32  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

"Why!"  exclaimed  Ralph  as  he  assisted  the 
man  to  his  feet,  "it  is  Gasper  Farrington." 

It  was  the  village  magnate,  disguised.  He 
stood  regarding  Ralph  with  savage  eyes. 

"I  thought  you  had  gone  to  Europe,  Mr.  Far- 
rington," said  Ralph. 

"Did  you?  Well,  I  haven't,"  growled  Farring- 
ton, nursing  a  bruise  on  his  face. 

"Are  you  going  to  stay  in  Stanley  Junction, 
then?" 

"None  of  your  business." 

"Oh,  yes,  it  is,"  retorted  Ralph  quickly.  "You 
owe  us  thousands  of  dollars,  and  we  want  it." 

"You'll  collect  by  law,  then.  I'll  never  give  you 
a  cent  willingly." 

Ralph  regarded  the  man  thoughtfully  for  a 
minute  or  two. 

"Mr.  Farrington,"  he  said,  "I  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  you  are  trying  to  make  me  more 
trouble.  This  man  Evans  is  up  to  mischief,  and 
I  believe  that  you  have  incited  him  to  it." 

The  magnate  was  silent,  regarding  Ralph  with 
menacing  eyes. 

,  "I  warn  you  that  it  won't  pay,  and  that  you 
won't  succeed,"  continued  Ralph.  "What  do  you 
hope  to  accomplish  by  persecuting  me?" 

The  old  man  glanced  all  about  him.  Then  he 
spoke  out. 


AN  OLD-TIME  ENEMY 


33 


"Fairbanks,''  he  said,  "I  give  you  one  last 
chance — get  out  of  Stanley  Junction." 

"Why  should  I  ?"  demanded  Ralph. 

"Because  you  have  humiliated  me  and  we  can't 
live  in  the  same  town  together,  that's  why." 

"You  deserved  humiliation,"  responded  Ralph 
steadily. 

"All  right,  take  your  own  view  of  the  case.  I 
will  settle  your  claim  for  five  thousand  dollars 
and  pay  you  the  money  at  once,  if  you  will  leave 
Stanley  Junction." 

"We  will  not  take  one  cent  less  than  the  full 
twenty  thousand  dollars  due  us,"  announced 
Ralph  staunchly,  "and  I  shall  not  leave  Stanley 
Junction  as  long  as  my  mother  wants  to  live 
here.'' 

"Then,"  said  Gasper  Farrington,  venomously, 
as  he  walked  from  the  spot,  "look  out  for  your- 
self." 

Ralph  went  back  to  the  Evans  home,  but  found 
only  the  little  child  there.  He  concluded  he 
would  not  wait  for  Evans  that  evening.  The 
discovery  of  his  old-time  enemy,  Farrington,  had 
been  enlightening. 

"I  will  have  a  talk  with  mother  about  this,"  he 
mused. 

^/Iien  Ralph  reached  home  a  surprise  greeted 


34  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

him.  The  little  parlor  was  lighted  up,  indicating 
a  visitor.  He  glanced  in  through  the  open  win- 
dows. 

The  visitor  was  Zeph  Dallas,  the  farmer  boy. 


CHAPTER  V 

ON  SPECIAL  DUTY 

Ralph  entered  the  house  glad  of  an  oppor- 
tunity to  interview  the  farmer  boy,  who  had  been 
in  his  thoughts  considerably  during  the  day. 

"Mr.  Dallas,  this  is  my  son,  Ralph,"  said  Mrs. 
Fairbanks,  as  the  young  fireman  came  into  the 
parlor. 

The  visitor  arose  from  his  chair  in  an  awkward, 
embarrassed  fashion.  He  flushed  and  stammered 
as  he  grasped  Ralph's  extended  hand. 

"Brought  you  a  sack  of  potatoes  and  some 
apples,"  he  said.  "Neighbor  gave  me  a  lift  in  his 
wagon." 

"Is  that  so?"  returned  Ralph  with  a  friendly 
smile.  "Well,  Mr.  Dallas,  I  am  very  glad  to  see 
you." 

"Gladder  than  you  were  last  time,  I  reckon,"' 
said  Zeph.  "Say,  I — I  want  to  say  I  am  ashamed 
of  myself,  and  I  want  to  thank  you  for  all  you 
did  for  me.  It's  made  me  your  friend  for  life, 
so  I  came  to  ask  a  favor  of  you." 

35 


36  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

This  was  rather  a  queer  way  of  putting  jAq 
case,  thought  Ralph,  and  the  fellow  blundered  on. 

"You  see,  Mr.  Ames,  that's  the  man  who  hired 
me,  found  out  about  my  doings  down  here  at 
Stanley  Junction,  and  he  has  set  me  adrift." 

"That  is  too  bad,"  observed  Ralph. 

"No,  it  ain't,  for  I  deserve  better  work,"  dis- 
sented Zeph.  "They  say  you're  dreadfully  smart 
and  everybody's  friend,  and  I  want  you  to  help 
me  get  where  I  want  to  get." 

"All  right,  I  am  willing  to  try  to  assist  you." 

"I  don't  know  exactly  which  I  had  better  do," 
proceeded  Zeph — "become  a  chief  of  police  or  a 
railroad  conductor.  Of  course,  the  man  who 
speaks  quickest  and  will  pay  the  most  money  gets 
me. 

Ralph  concealed  a  smile,  for  Zeph  was  entirely 
in  earnest. 

"Well,  you  see,"  remarked  the  young  fireman, 
"it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  get  just  the  position 
you  want  without  some  experience." 

"Oh,  that's  all  right,"  declared  the  farmer  boy 
confidently.  "I've  thought  it  all  out.  I  once 
watched  a  conductor  go  through  a  train.  Why. 
it's  no  work  at  all.  I  could  do  it  easily.  And  a^ 
to  being  a  detective  I've  read  lots  of  books  on  tin 
subject,  and  I've  even  got  some  disguises  I  made 
up,  in  my  satchel  here." 


ON  SPECIAL  DUTY  37 

"Oh,  brought  your  satchel,  too,  did  you?"'  ob- 
served Ralph. 

"Why,  yes,  I  thought  maybe  you'd  house  me 
me  for  a  day  or  two  till  I  closed  a  contract  with 
6omebody." 

The  fellow  was  so  simple-minded  that  Mrs. 
Fairbanks  pitied  him,  and,  observing  this,  Ralph 
said: 

"You  are  welcome,  Zeph,  and  I  will  later  talk 
over  with  you  the  prospects  of  a  situation." 

The  visitor  was  soon  completely  at  home.  He 
ate  a  hearty  supper,  and,  after  the  meal,  took  some 
home-made  disguises  from  his  satchel.  The  poor 
fellow  strutted  around  proudly  as  he  put  these 
on  \n  turn. 

"Old  peddler,"  he  announced,  donning  a  skull 
cap,  a  white  beard  made  out  of  rope,  and  a  big 
pair  of  goggles.  "Tramp,"  and  he  put  on  a 
ragged  coat  and  a  torn  cap,  and  acted  out  the 
appearance  of  a  typical  tramp  quite  naturally. 
There  were  several  other  representations,  but  all 
so  crude  and  funny  that  Ralph  with  difficulty 
restrained  his  merriment. 

"How  will  it  do?"  inquired  Zeph,  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  performance. 

"You  have  got  the  elements  of  the  profession 
in  mind,"  said  Ralph  guardedly,  "but  there  is  the 
practical  end  of  the  business  to  learn." 


38  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

Then  Ralph  seriously  and  earnestly  told  his 
visitor  the  real  facts  of  the  case.  He  devoted  a 
full  hour  to  correcting  Zeph's  wrong  impressions 
of  detective  and  railroad  work.  By  the  time 
he  got  through,  Zeph's  face  was  glum. 

"Why,  if  what  you  say  is  true,"  he  remarked 
dejectedly,  "I'm  next  to  being  good  for  nothing." 

"Oh,  no,"  said  Ralph,  "don't  you  be  discour- 
aged at  all.  You  have  the  starting  point  of  every 
ambition — an  idea.  I  myself  do  not  think  much 
of  the  detective  line  for  one  as  young  as  you  are. 
As  to  railroading,  I  can  tell  you  one  fact." 

"What's  that?"  interrogated  Zeph  dreamily, 

"You  must  begin  at  the  bottom  of  the  ladder 
and  take  one  step  at  a  time — slow  steps,  sure 
steps,  to  reach  the  top." 

"You're  a  fireman,  aren't  you?"  asked  Zeph, 
admiringly. 

Ralph  answered  that  he  was,  and  this  led  to  his 
relating  to  the  curious  and  interested  Zeph  the 
story  of  his  career  from  roundhouse  worker  and 
switch  tower  man  to  the  present  position. 

"It's  fascinating,  ain't  it?"  said  Zeph,  with  a 
long-drawn  breath,  when  Ralph  concluded  his  re- 
cital. "I  reckon  I'll  give  up  the  detective  idea. 
Can  you  help  me  get  a  position  in  the  round- 
house?" 

"I  am  willing  to  try,"  assented  Ralph.     "You 


ON  SPECIAL  DUTY 


39 


are  strong  and  used  to  hard  work,  and  that  means 
a  good  deal  in  the  roundhouse  service.'' 

Ralph  suggested  a  stroll  before  bedtime.  Zeph 
was  glad  for  the  exercise.  Once  they  were  out- 
side, Ralph  broached  a  subject  he  had  been  think- 
ing over  all  the  evening. 

"Zepn,"  he  said,  "I  want  to  ask  you  a  very 
important  question." 

"What  is  that?" 

"You  remember  the  day  I  kept  your  team  for 
you?" 

"I'll  never  forget  it." 

"You  missed  a  package  that  had  been  under  the 
feed  bags  when  you  came  to  leave  town?" 

"Yes,  and  that's  why  I  am  here,"  said  Zeph. 
"Old  Ames  wras  almost  ready  to  discharge  me  for 
letting  those  men  at  the  hotel  give  me  drink  I  had 
never  tasted  before  and  getting  in  that  fix  you 
found  me  in,  and  for  losing  some  of  the  apples, 
but  when  he  found  out  that  I  had  lost  that  pack- 
age, he  wras  nearly  wild." 

"Was  there  something  so  valuable  in  it,  then?" 

"I  dunno.  I  only  know  I  was  told  to  be  sure  I 
"kept  it  hidden  and  safe  till  it  was  delivered  to  a 
fellow  named  Evans  in  town  here." 

"Jim  Evans?" 

"Yes,  that's  the  full  name." 

Ralph  looked  pretty  serious. 


4o  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"You  see,  old  Ames  himself  didn't  send  the 
package,"  went  on  Zeph.  "It  was  brought  to  the 
house  by  a  fellow  who  had  hired  a  team  from 
Ames  one  day  last  week.  Dunno  who  he  is, 
dunno  where  he  lives,  but  I  can  describe  him,  if 
you  are  interested." 

"I  am  interested,  very  much  so,"  assented 
Ralph. 

Zeph  went  on  to  describe  the  person  he  had 
alluded  to.  By  the  time  he  had  concluded,  it  was 
evident  to  Ralph  that  the  sender  of  the  package 
was  Ike  Slump. 

The  young  fireman  took  Zeph  back  to  the  house 
but  did  not  enter  it  himself. 

"I  will  be  back  soon,  Zeph,"  he  said,  "I  have 
some  business  down  town." 

Ralph  went  at  once  to  the  home  of  Bob  Adair. 

"Want  to  see  me,  Fairbanks?"  questioned  the 
brisk,  wide-awake  railroad  detective,  as  Ralph 
was  shown  into  the  room  where  he  was  busily 
engaged  in  packing  a  satchel. 

"Yes,  Mr.  Adair,  about  the  silk  robbery." 

"Oh,  that  mystery,"  nodded  the  detective.  "I 
spent  two  days  on  it,  and  didn't  find  a  clew." 

"I  had  one,  but  failed  to  find  you,"  explained 
Ralph.     "I'll  tell  you  all  about  it  now." 

"Quick  work,  then,  Fairbanks,"  went  on  Adair, 


ON  SPECIAL  DUTY 


41 


"for  I'm  due  for  a  special  to  the  city.  Big  case 
from  the  General  Superintendent." 

Ralph  rapidly  related  all  he  had  learned.  Adair 
listened  intently.  He  reflected  for  a  moment  or 
two  after  the  young  fireman  had  finished  his  re- 
cital.    Then  he  said : 

"Fairbanks,  this  is  of  great  importance,  but  I 
can't  neglect  the  city  case.  You  helped  me  on 
another  similar  case  once." 

"Yes,"  said  Ralph. 

"Also  aided  me  in  running  down  those  switch 
tower  wreckers." 

Ralph  nodded. 

"Good  work,  and  you  did  nobly  in  those  affairs. 
Let  me  think.  Yes,  I'll  do  it!  Here,  I  want  you 
to  go  straight  to  the  Assistant  Superintendent  at 
Afton." 

"You  mean  to-night?" 

"Right  away.  I  will  give  3rou  a  letter.  No, 
hold  on,  I've  got  a  better  plan." 

Again  Adair  consulted  his  watch.  Bustlingly 
he  hurried  through  with  his  preparations  for  de- 
parture. Then  he  left  the  house,  swung  down 
the  street  briskly,  and,  Ralph  accompanying  him, 
proceeded  to  the  railroad  depot. 

He  wrote  out  a  long  telegram  and  handed  it  to 
the  night  operator.    Then  he  came  back  to  Ralph. 

"See   here,    Fairbanks,"   he    remarked.      "I've 


42 


RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 


fixed  this  tiling  as  I  want  it,  and  you  are  one  ot 
the  few  persons  I  would  trust  in  a  matter  like 
this." 

"Thank  you  for  the  compliment,  Mr.  Adair." 

"I  know  your  ability  from  past  experience.  It 
won't  do  to  neglect  following  this  clew  to  the  silk 
robbers.  I  have  wired  the  assistant  superin- 
tendent for  an  official  request  that  you  be  detailed 
on  special  duty  in  my  department.  Wait  here  for 
the  reply.  Then  start  out  on  the  trail  of  those 
thieves,  and  report  to  me  day  after  to-morrow, 
when  I  shall  return  to  Stanley  Junction." 

"All  right,"  said  Ralph,  "I  may  be  able  to  ac- 
complish something." 

"I  think  you  will,  judging  from  your  present 
success  in  assisting  me,"  said  Adair. 

Ralph  had  to  wait  nearly  an  hour  after  Adair 
had  left  on  a  special.  Then  a  reply  came  to  the 
telegram.  The  operator,  as  instructed  by  Adair, 
handed  the  message  to  Ralph.     It  read : 

"Fairbanks,  freight  fireman,  detailed  for  spe- 
cial work  in  another  department." 

"It's  all  right,"  said  Ralph  to  himself,  as  he 
started  homewards.  "Now  to  trace  down  Ike 
Slump  and  the  other  train  robbers." 


CHAPTER  VJ 

ZEPH 

The  young  fireman  reported  at  the  roundhouse 
early  in  the  morning,  showing  the  telegram  to  Jim 
Forgan,  but  not  until  the  foreman  had  got  out  of 
sight  and  hearing  of  the  other  men  in  the  place. 

"H'm!"  commented  Forgan  laconically,  "I 
don't  like  this." 

''Indeed,  Mr.  Forgan?"  smiled  Ralph. 

"I  don't,  and  that's  the  truth  of  it — for  two 
reasons. 

"What  are  they,  Mr.  Forgan?" 

"First,   it  interrupts  a  regular  run  for  you.'* 

"But  I  may  not  be  away  two  days." 

"Next,  it  gives  that  Jim  Evans  a  chance  to  take 
your  place,  and  I  don't  trust  the  man." 

"Neither  do  I,"  said  Ralph  pointedly,  "and  I 
may  have  something  important  to  tell  you  about 
him  when  I  return." 

Ralph  found  Zeph  industriously  chopping 
kindling  wood  when  he  got  back  home  again.  The 
young  fireman  went  into  the  house,  explained  his 

43 


44  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

new  employment  to  his  mother,  and  then  called  to 
Zeph. 

"You  wanted  some  work,  Zeph,"  he  said  to  the 
farmer  boy. 

"Sure,  I  do,"  cried  Zeph  with  unction. 

"Very  well,  I  think  I  am  authorized  to  offer 
you  a  dollar  a  day." 

"Steady  job?"  inquired  Zeph  eagerly. 

"No,  it  may  not  last,  but  it  is  in  the  railroad 
service,  and  may  lead  to  your  further  employ- 
ment." 

"Good,"  commented  Zeph.  "What  do  they 
want  me  to  do — engineer?" 

"Scarcely,  Zeph,"  said  Ralph,  smiling.  "I 
simply  want  you  to  take  me  back  to  the  Ames 
farm  and  direct  me  about  the  locality." 

Zeph  looked  disappointed. 

"Why,  what's  that  kind  of  work  got  to  do  with 
railroading?"  he  said. 

"You  shall  know  later." 

"All  right.  You're  too  smart  to  make  any  mis- 
takes and  too  friendly  to  do  anything  but  good 
for  me,  so  I'm  your  man." 

"Very  well.  First,  then,  tell  me  the  location  of 
the  Ames  farm." 

Zeph  did  this,  and  Ralph  ascertained  that  it 
was  about  five  miles  west  of  Brocton. 

Ralph  secured  some  money,  and  in  an  hour  he 


ZEPH 


45 


«nd  Zeph  stepped  aboard  the  cab  of  a  locomotive 
attached  to  a  load  of  empties  due  to  run  down  the 
line  in  a  few  minutes. 

They  reached  Brocton  about  noon.  Ralph  pro- 
ceeded down  the  tracks  towards  the  railroad  cut 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  the  landslide. 

He  turned  off  at  the  wagon  road  and  soon,  with 
his  companion,  was  started  westward  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Ames  farm. 

"Zeph,"  he  said,  "did  you  hear  anything  of  a 
train  robbery  here  the  other  night?" 

No,  Zeph  had  not  heard  of  it.  Then  Ralph 
questioned  him  closely  as  to  the  night  Ames  had 
loaned  his  wagon  to  strangers  and  gained  a  few 
more  particulars  relating  to  the  silk  robbers. 

"There  is  the  Ames  farm,"  reported  Zeph  at 
last. 

Ralph  had  already  planned  out  what  he  would 
do,  and  proceeded  to  instruct  his  assistant  as  to 
his  share  in  the  affair. 

"Zeph,"  he  said,  "I  do  not  wish  to  be  seen  by 
Ames,  nor  must  he  know  that  you  came  here  with 
a  stranger." 

"Am  I  to  see  him?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph,  taking  a  package  from 
tinder  his  coat. 

"Why,  that's  the  package  I  lost!"  ra'ed  Zeph. 

"Hie  same." 


46  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

"And  you  had  it  all  the  time?" 

"I  did,  Zeph,  yes.  No  mystery  about  it — I 
simply  don't  care  to  explain  to  you  anything  about 
it  till  a  little  later  on." 

''All  right." 

"I  want  you  to  take  it  and  go  up  to  the  farm- 
house. I  will  keep  out  of  sight.  You  go  to  Ames 
and  tell  him  it  was  returned  to  you,  and  you  want 
to  give  jt  back  to  the  person  it  belongs  to  with  a 
message." 

"Whose  message?" 

"Nobody's,"  answered  Ralph,  ''but  you  need 
not  say  that." 

"What  shall  I  say,  then?" 

"Tell  him  you  want  to  advise  the  person  who 
sent  the  parcel  that  it  isn't  safe  to  send  such  goods 
to  any  one  at  the  present  time." 

"Very  well,"  said  Zeph.  "Suppose  Ames  tells 
me  where  to  find  the  fellow  who  sent  the  pack- 
age?" 

"Come  back  and  report  to  me." 

Zeph  started  for  the  farmhouse.  Ralph 
watched  him  enter  it,  the  package  in  his  hand.  He 
came  out  in  a  very  few  minutes  without  the 
parcel. 

He  was  rather  glum-faced  when  he  rejoined 
Ralph. 


ZEPH 


47 


"Say,''  be  observed,  "I've  found  out  nothing, 
and  old  Ames  took  the  package  away  from  me." 

"What  did  he  say?"  asked  the  young  fireman. 

"He  told  me  he  would  see  that  it  was  returned 
to  the  person  who  sent  it." 

"That  delays  matters,"  thought  Ralph,  "and  I 
don't  know  whether  Ames  will  take  it  back  to  the 
silk  thieves,  or  wait  for  some  of  them  to  visit 
him." 

Then  the  young  fireman  formed  a  sudden  reso- 
lution. He  regarded  his  companion  thoughtfully, 
and  said : 

"Zeph,  I  am  "going  to  trust  you  with  what  is 
known  as  an  official  secret  in  the  railroad  line." 

The  farmer  boy  looked  pleased  and  interested. 

"I  believe  you  are  too  square  and  friendly  to 
betray  that  secret." 

"Try  me,  and  see!"  cried  Zeph  with  ardor. 

"Well,"  said  Ralph,  "there  was  a  silk  robbery 
of  the  Dover  night  freight  last  week,  the  train  I 
am  fireman  on.  From  what  you  have  told  me,  I 
feel  sure  that  the  thieves  hired  their  rig  from 
Ames.  That  package  you  had  was  part  of  the 
stolen  plunder.  I  am  acting  for  the  road  detective 
of  the  Great  Northern,  and  I  must  locate  those 
robbers." 

"Then,"  cried  Zeph  delightedly,  "I  am  helping 
you  do  detective  work." 


48  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

"Yes,  Zeph,  genuine  detective  work." 

"Oh!  how  I  wish  I  had  my  disguises  here!" 

"You  are  of  more  use  to  me  as  you  are,  because 
the  thieves  know  you  worked  for  Ames,  and  they 
seem  to  trust  him." 

"That's  so,"  said  Zeph  thoughtfully.  "What 
you  going  to  do?" 

"I  want  to  locate  the  thieves,"  responded  Ralph. 
"You  must  know  the  district  about  here  pretty 
well.  Can't  you  think  of  any  spot  where  they 
would  be  likely  to  hide?" 

"None  in  particular.  But  I  know  every  foot  of 
the  woods,  swamps  and  creek.  If  the  men  you 
are  looking  for  are  anywhere  in  the  neighborhood, 
I  am  sure  we  will  find  a  trace  of  them." 

"You  pilot  the  way,  then,  Zeph.  Go  with 
caution  if  you  find  any  traces  of  the  men,  for  I 
am  sure  that  at  least  two  of  the  party  know  me." 

For  three  hours  they  made  a  tour  of  the  dis- 
trict, taking  in  nearly  four  miles  to  the  south. 
The  swamp  lands  they  could  not  traverse.  Finally 
they  came  out  of  the  woods  almost  directly  on  a 
town. 

"Why,"  said  Ralph  in  some  surprise,  "here  is 
Millville,  the  next  station  to  Brocton." 

"That's  so,"  nodded  Zeph.  "I  hardly  think 
those  fellows  are  in  the  woods.  We  have  made  a 
pretty  thorough  search." 


ZEPH  49 

"There's  the  swamp  and  the  high  cliffs  we 
haven't  visited,"  said  Ralph.  "I  suppose  you  are 
hungry  ?" 

"Moderately,"  answered  Zeph. 

"Then  we  will  go  and  have  something  to  eat. 
I  have  a  friend  just  on  the  edge  of  Millville,  who 
keeps  a  very  unique  restaurant" 

Ralph  smiled  pleasantly,  for  the  restaurant  in 
question  was  quite  a  feature  with  railroad  men. 

Two  lines  of  railroad  crossed  at  Millville,  a 
great  deal  of  switching  was  done  outside  of  the 
town,  and  there  was  a  shanty  there  to  shelter  the 
men. 

A  little  off  from  the  junction  was  a  very  queer- 
looking  house,  if  it  could  be  called  such.  Its  main 
structure  was  an  old  freight  car,  to  which  there 
had  been  additions  made  from  time  to  time. 
Across  its  front  was  a  sign  reading,  "Limpy  Joe's 
Railroad  Restaurant." 

"Ever  taken  a  meal  here?"  inquired  Ralph,  as 
they  approached  the  place. 

l\0. 

"Ever  heard  of  Limpy  Joe?" 
"Don't  think  I  have." 

"Then,"  said  Ralph,  "I  am  going  to  introduce 
you  to  the  most  interesting  boy  you  ever  met." 


CHAPTER  VII 

LIMPY  JOE'S  RAILROAD  RESTAURANT 

Zeph  Dallas  stared  about  him  in  profound 
bewilderment  and  interest  as  Ralph  led  the  way 
towards  Limpy  Joe's  Railroad  Restaurant. 

It  was  certainly  an  odd-appearing  place.  Ad- 
ditions had  been  built  onto  the  freight  car  until 
the  same  were  longer  than  the  original  structure. 

A  square  of  about  two  hundred  feet  was  en- 
closed by  a  barbed  wire  fence,  and  this  space  was 
quite  as  interesting  as  the  restaurant  building. 

There  was  a  rude  shack,  which  seemed  to 
answer  for  a  barn,  a  haystack  beside  it,  and  a 
well-appearing  vegetable  garden.  Then,  in  one 
corner  of  the  yard,  was  a  heap  of  old  lumber, 
stone,  brick,  doors,  window  sash,  in  fact,  it  looked 
as  if  some  one  had  been  gathering  all  the  un- 
mated  parts  of  various  houses  he  could  find. 

The  restaurant  was  neatly  painted  a  regular, 
dark-red  freight-car  color  outside.  Into  it  many 
windows  had  been  cut,  and  a  glance  through  the 
open  doorway  showed  an  interior  scrupulously 
neat  and  clean. 

so 


LIMPY  JOE'S  RAILROAD  RESTAURANT 


51 


"Tell  me  about  it,"  said  Zeph.  "Limpy  Joe — 
who  is  he?    Does  he  run  the  place  alone?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph.  "He  is  an  orphan,  and 
was  hurt  by  the  cars  a  few  years  ago.  The  rail- 
road settled  with  him  for  two  hundred  dollars,  an 
old  freight  car  and  a  free  pass  for  life  over  the 
road,  including,  Limpy  Joe  stipulated,  locomotives 
and  cabooses." 

"Wish  I  had  that,"  said  Zeph — "I'd  be  riding 
all  the  time." 

"You  would  soon  get  tired  of  it,"  Ralph  as- 
serted. "Well,  Joe  invested  part  of  his  money  in 
a  horse  and  wagon,  located  in  that  old  freight  car, 
which  the  company  moved  here  for  him  from  a 
wreck  in  the  creek,  and  became  a  squatter  on  that 
little  patch  of  ground.  Then  the  restaurant  idea 
came  along,  and  the  railroad  hands  encouraged 
him.  Before  that,  however,  Joe  had  driven  all 
over  the  country,  picking  up  old  lumber  and  the 
like,  and  the  result  is  the  place  as  you  see  it." 

"Well,  he  must  be  an  ambitious,  industrious 
fellow." 

"He  is,"  affirmed  Ralph,  "and  everybody  likes 
him.  He's  ready  at  any  time  of  the  night  to  get 
up  and  give  a  tired-out  railroad  hand  a  hot  cup 
of  coffee  or  a  lunch.  His  meals  are  famous,  too, 
for  he  is  a  fine  cook." 

"Hello,  Ralph  Fairbanks,"  piped  a  happy  little 
,roice  as  Ralph  and  Zeph  entered  the  restaurant. 


52 


RALPH  ON  SHE  ENGINE 


Ralph  shook  hands  with  the  speaker,  a  boy 
hobbling  about  the  place  on  a  crutch. 

"What's  it  going  to  be?''  asked  Limpy  Jo^ 
"full  dinner  or  a  lunch?" 

"Both,  best  you've  got,"  smiled  Ralph.  "The 
railroad  is  paying  for  this." 

"That  so?  Then  we'll  reduce  the  rates.  Rail- 
road has  been  too  good  to  me  to  overcharge  the 
company." 

"This  is  my  friend,  Zeph  Dallas,"  introduced 
Ralph. 

"Glad  to  know  you,"  said  Joe.  "Sit  down  at 
the  counter,  fellows,  and  I'll  soon  have  you 
served." 

"Well,  well,"  said  Zeph,  staring  around  the 
place  one  way,  then  the  other,  and  then  repeating 
the  performance.      "This   strikes   me." 

"Interesting  to  you,  is  it?"  asked  Ralph. 

"It's  wonderful.  Fixed  this  up  all  alone  out  of 
odds  and  ends?  I  tell  you,  I'd  like  to  be  a  partner 
in  a  business  like  this." 

"Want  a  partner  here,  Joe?"  called  out  Ralph 
to  his  friend  in  a  jocular  way. 

"I  want  a  helper,"  answered  the  cripple,  busy 
among  the  shining  cooking  ware  on  a  kitchen 
stove  at  one  end  of  the  restaurant. 

"Mean  that?"  asked  Zeph. 

"I  do.     I  have  some  new  plans  I  want  to  carry 


LIMPY  JOE'S  RAILROAD  RESTAURANT 


53 


out,  and  I  need  some  one  to  attend  to  the  place 
half  of  the  time." 

Again  Zeph  glanced  all  about  the  place. 

"Say,  it  fascinates  me,"  he  observed  to  Ralph. 
''Upon  my  word,  I  believe  I'll  come  to  work  here 
When  I  get  through  with  this  work  for  you." 

"Tell  you  what,"  said  Limpy  Joe  with  a  shrewd 
glance  at  Zeph,  as  he  placed  the  smoking  dishes 
before  his  customers.  "I'll  make  it  worth  the 
while  of  an  honest,  active  fellow  to  come  in  here 
with  me.     I  have  some  grand  ideas." 

"You  had  some  good  ones  when  you  fitted  up 
the  place,"  declared  Zeph. 

"You  think  it  over.  I  like  your  looks,"  con- 
tinued Joe.  "I'm  in  earnest,  and  I  might  make  it 
a  partnership  after  a  while." 

The  boys  ate  a  hearty  meal,  and  the  young  fire- 
man paid  for  it. 

"Business  good,  Joe?"  he  inquired,  as  they  were 
about  to  leave. 

"Famous.  I've  got  some  new  customers,  too. 
Don't  know  who  they  are." 

"What's  that?" 

"I  don't,  for  a  fact." 

"That  sounds  puzzling,"  observed  Ralph. 

"Well,  it's  considerable  of  a  puzzle  to  me — all 
except  the  double  pay  I  get,"  responded  Joe.   "For 


54 


RALPH  OX  THE  EXCI.XE 


nearly  a  week  I've  had  a  funny  order.  One  dark 
night  some  one  pushed  up  a  window  here  and 
threw  in  a  card.  It  contained  instructions  and  z 
ten-dollar  bill." 

"That's  pretty  mysterious,"  said  the  interested 
Zeph. 

"The  card  told  me  that  if  I  wanted  to  continue 
a  good  trade,  I  would  say  nothing  about  it,  but 
every  night  at  dark  drive  to  a  certain  point  in  the 
timber  yonder  with  a  basket  containing  a  goocJ 
solid  day's  feed  for  half-a-dozen  men." 

''Well,  well,"  murmured  Zeph,  while  Ralph 
gave  quite  a  start,  but  remained  silent,  though 
strictly  attentive. 

"Well,  I  have  acted  on  orders  given,  and 
haven't  said  a  word  about  it  to  anybody  but  you. 
Ralph.  The  reason  I  tell  you  is,  because  I  think 
you  are  interested  in  some  of  the  persons  who 
are  buying  meals  from  me  in  this  strange  way. 
It's  all  right  for  me  to  speak  out  before  your 
friend  here?" 

"Oh,  certainly,"  assented  Ralph. 

"Well,  Ike  Slump  is  one  of  the  party  in  the 
woods,  and  Mort  Bemis  is  another." 

"I  guessed  that  the  moment  you  began  your 
story,"  said  Ralph,  "and  I  am  looking  for  those 
very  persons." 

"I    thought   you   would   be   interested.      They 


LIMPY  JOE'S  RAILROAD  RESTAURANT      55 

are  wanted  for  that  attempted  treasure-train  rob- 
bery, aren't  they?" 

"Yes,  and  for  a  more  recent  occurrence," 
answered  Ralph — "the  looting  of  the  Dover 
freight  the  other  night." 

"I  never  thought  of  that,  though  I  should  have 
done  so,"  said  Joe.  "The  way  I  know  that  Slump 
and  Bemis  are  in  the  woods  yonder,  is  that  one 
night  I  had  a  breakdown,  and  was  delayed  a  little, 
and  saw  them  come  for  the  food  basket  where  I 
had  left  it." 

Ralph's  mind  was  soon  made  up.  He  told  Joe 
all  about  their  plans. 

"You've  got  to  help  us  out,  Joe,"  he  added. 

"You  mean  take  you  up  into  the  woods  in  the 
wagon  to-night?" 

"Yes." 

"Say,"  said  Joe,  his  shrewd  eyes  sparkling  with 
excitement,  "I'll  do  it  in  fine  style.  Ask  no  ques- 
tions. I've  got  a  plan.  I'll  have  another  break- 
down, not  a  sham  one,  this  time.  I'll  have  you 
two  well  covered  up  in  the  wagon  box,  and  you 
can  lie  there  until  some  one  comes  after  the 
basket." 

"Good,"  approved  Ralph,  "you  are  a  genuine 
friend,  Joe." 

Ralph  and  Zeph  had  to  wait  around  the  res- 
taurant all  the  afternoon.     There  was  only  an 


56  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

occasional  customer,  and  Joe  had  plenty  of  time 
to  spare.  He  took  a  rare  delight  in  showing  his 
friends  his  treasures,  as  he  called  them. 

About  dusk  Joe  got  the  food  supply  ready  for 
the  party  in  the  woods.  He  hitched  up  the  horse 
to  a  wagon,  arranged  some  blankets  and  hay  in 
the  bottom  of  the  vehicle,  so  that  his  friends  could 
hide  themselves,  and  soon  all  was  ready  for  the 
drive  into  the  timber. 

Ralph  managed  to  look  out  as  they  proceeded 
into  the  woods.  The  wagon  was  driven  about  a 
mile.  Then  Joe  got  out  and  set  the  basket  under 
a  tree. 

A  little  distance  from  it  he  got  out  again,  took 
off  a  wheel,  left  it  lying  on  the  ground,  unhitched 
the  horse,  and  rode  away  on  the  back  of  the 
animal.  The  vehicle,  to  a  casual  observer,  would 
suggest  the  appearance  of  a  genuine  breakdown. 

"Now,  Zeph,"  said  Ralph  as  both  arranged 
their  coverings  so  they  could  view  tree  and  basket 
clearly,  "no  rash  moves." 

"If  anybody  comes,  what  then?"  inquired  the 
farmer  boy.  * 

"We  shall  follow  them,  but  with  great  caution. 
Keep  close  to  me,  so  that  I  can  give  you  special 
instructions,   if   it  becomes  necessary." 

"Good,"  said  Zeph.  "That  will  be  soon,  for 
there  thev  are!" 


LIMPY  JOE'S  RAILROAD  RESTAURANT      57 

Two  figures  had  appeared  at  the  tree.  One  took 
up  the  basket,  the  other  glanced  around  stealthily. 
Ralph  recognized  both  of  them,  even  in  the  dim 
twilight,  at  some  distance  away.  One  was  Ike 
Slump,  the  other  his  old-time  crony  and  accom^ 
plice,  Mort  Bemi.v 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  HIDDEN  PLUNDER 

"That's  the  fellow  who  brought  the  package 
of  silk  to  old  Ames,"  whispered  Zeph,  staring 
hard  from  under  covert  at  Slump. 

"Yes,  I  recognize  him,"  responded  Ralph  in 
quite  as  guarded  a  tone.     "Quiet,  now,  Zeph." 

Ike  Slump  and  Mort  Bemis  continued  to  linger 
at  the  tree.  They  were  looking  at  the  wagon  and 
beyond  it. 

"Say,"  spoke  the  former  to  his  companion, 
"what's  wrong?" 

"How  wrong?"  inquired  Mort. 

"Why,  some  way  our  plans  appear  to  haw 
slipped  a  cog.  There's  the  wagon  broken  down 
and  the  boy  has  gone  with  the  horse.  Two  of  our 
men  were  to  stop  him,  you  know,  and  keep  him 
here  while  we  used  the  wagon." 

"Maybe  they're  behind  time.  What's  the  mat- 
ter with  our  holding  the  boy  till  they  come?" 

"The  very  thing,"  responded  Ike,  and,  leaving 

5fi 


THE  HIDDEN  PLUNDER 


59 


the  basket  where  it  was,  he  and  Mort  ran  aner 
Linipy  Joe  and  the  horse. 

"Get  out  of  here,  quick,"  ordered  Ralph  to 
Zeph.  "If  we  don't,  we  shall  probably  be  carried 
into  the  camp  of  the  enemy." 

"Isn't  that  just  exactly  the  place  that  you 
want  to  reach  ?"  inquired  the  farmer  boy  coolly. 

"Not  in  this  way.  Out  with  you,  and  into  the 
bushes.  Don't  delay,  Zeph,  drop  flat,  some  one 
else  is  coming." 

It  was  a  wonder  they  were  not  discovered,  for 
almost  immediately  two  men  came  running  to- 
wards the  spot.  They  were  doubtless  the  persons 
Ike  Slump  had  referred  to,  for  they  gave  a  series 
of  signal  whistles,  responded  to  by  their  youthful 
accomplices,  who,  a  minute  later,  came  into  view 
leading  the  horse  of  which  Limpy  Joe  was  astride 

"We  were  late,"  panted  one  of  the  men. 

"Should  think  you  were,"  retorted  Ike  Slump. 
"This  boy  nearly  got  away.  Say,  if  you  wasn't 
a  cripple,"  he  continued  to  the  young  restaurant 
keeper,  "I'd  give  you  something  for  whacking  me 
with  that  crutch  of  yours." 

"I'd  whack  you  again,  if  it  would  do  any  good," 
said  the  plucky  fellow.  "You're  a  nice  crowd, 
you  are,  bothering  me  this  way  after  I've  prob- 
ably saved  you  from  starvation  the  last  week." 

"That's  all  right,  sonny,"  drawled  out  one  of 


60  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

the  men.  "We  paid  you  for  what  you've  done  for 
us,  and  we  will  pay  you  still  better  for  simply 
coming  to  our  camp  and  staying  there  a  prisoner, 
until  we  use  that  rig  of  yours  for  a  few  hours." 

"If  you  wanted  to  borrow  the  rig,  why  didn't 
you  do  so  in  a  decent  fashion?"  demanded  Joe 
indignantly. 

"You  keep  quiet,  now,"  advised  the  man  who 
carried  on  the  conversation.  "We  know  our  busi- 
ness. Here,  Slump,  you  and  Mort  help  get  this 
wheel  on  the  wagon  and  hitch  up  the  horse." 

They  forced  Joe  into  the  wagon  bottom  and 
proceeded  to  get  ready  for  a  drive  into  the  woods. 

"Bet  Joe  is  wondering  how  we  came  to  get  out 
of  that  wagon,"  observed  Zeph  to  Ralph. 

"Don't  talk,"  said  Ralph.  "Now,  when  they 
start  away,  I  will  follow,  you  remain  here." 

"Right  here?" 

"Yes,  so  that  I  may  find  you  when  I  come  back, 
and  so  that  you  can  follow  the  wagor  when  it 
comes  out  of  the  woods  again  if  I  am  not  on 
hand." 

"You  think  they  are  going  tc  move  some  of 
their  plunder  in  the  wagon?" 

"Exactly."  replied  the  young  fireman. 

"Well,  so  do  I.  They  won't  get  far  with  it, 
though,  if  I  am  after  them,"  boasted  Zeph. 
"Wish  I  had  a  detective  star  and  some  weapons." 


THE  HIDDEN  PLUNDER  6 1 

"The  safest  way  to  do  is  to  follow  them  until 
they  get  near  a  town  or  settlement,  and  then  go 
for  assistance  and  arrest  them,"  advised  Ralph. 
"Now,  then,  Zeph,  make  no  false  moves." 

"No,  I  will  follow  your  orders  strictly," 
pledged  the  farmer  boy. 

The  basket  was  lifted  into  the  wagon  by  Ike, 
who,  with  Mort,  led  the  horse  through  the  in- 
tricate timber  and  brushwood.  Progress  was 
difficult  and  they  proceeded  slowly.  As  soon  as 
it  was  safe  to  do  so,  Ralph  left  Zeph.  The  two 
men  had  taken  up  the  trail  of  the  wagon,  guard- 
ing its  rear  so  that  Joe  could  not  escape. 

Ralph  kept  sight  of  them  for  half-an-hour  and 
was  led  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  woods.  These 
lined  the  railroad  cut,  and  he  wondered  that  the 
gang  of  robbers  had  dared  to  camp  so  near  to  the 
recent  scene  of  their  thieving  operations. 

At  last  the  young  fireman  was  following  only 
two  men,  for  he  could  no  longer  see  the  wagon 

"Perhaps  they  have  left  Ike  and  Bemis  to  go 
ahead  with  the  wagon  and  they  are  reaching  the 
camp  by  a  short  cut,"  reflected  Ralph.  "Why, 
no,"  he  suddenly  exclaimed,  as  the  men  turned 
aside  to  take  a  new  path.  "These  are  not  the 
same  men  at  all  who  were  with  the  wagon.  I  am 
off  the  trail,  I  am  following  some  one  else." 

Ralph  made  this  discovery  with  some  surprise. 


62  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

Certainly  he  had  got  mixed  up  in  cautiously  trail- 
ing the  enemy  at  a  distance.  He  wondered  if  the 
two  men  lie  was  now  following  belonged  to  Ike 
Slump's  crowd. 

"1  must  assume  they  do,"  ruminated  Ralph,  "at 
least  for  the  present.  They  are  bound  for  some 
point  in  the  woods,  of  course,  and  I  shall  soon 
know  their  destination." 

The  two  men  proceeded  for  over  a  mile.  They 
commenced  an  ascent  where  the  cliffs  lining  the 
railroad  cut  began.  The  place  was  thick  with 
underbrush  and  quite  rocky  in  places,  wild  and 
desolate  in  the  extreme,  and  the  path  they  pursued 
so  tortuous  and  winding  that  Ralph  at  length  lost 
sight  of  them. 

"Where  have  they  disappeared  to?"  he  asked 
himself,  bending  his  ear,  keeping  a  sharp  lookout, 
and  with  difficulty  penetrating  the  worst  jungle 
of  bushes  and  stunted  trees  he  had  yet  en- 
countered.    "I  hear  voices." 

These  guided  Ralph,  and  he  followed  their  in- 
dication. At  last  he  came  to  a  halt  near  an  open 
space,  where  the  men  he  was  following  had 
stopped. 

"Here  we  are,  Ames,"  were  the  first  distinct 
words  that  Ralph  heard  spoken. 

"Why,  one  of  these  men  must  be  the  farmer 
that  Zeph  worked  for,"  decided  Ralph. 


THE  HIDDEN  PLUNDER  63 

"All  right,  you're  safe  enough  up  here.  Got 
the  plunder  here,  have  you?"  was  asked. 

"Yes.  I  will  show  you  the  exact  spot,  and  you 
come  here  after  we  have  got  the  bulk  of  the  stuff 
to  a  new  hiding  place,  take  it  as  you  can,  dispost 
of  it,  and  keep  us  in  ready  money  until  we  feel 
safe  to  ship  our  goods  to  some  distant  city  and 
realize  on  them." 

''I'll  do  just  that,"  was  replied.  "What  are 
you  leaving  here  for?" 

"Adair,  the  road  detective,  is  after  us.  we 
understand,  and  this  is  too  dangerously  near  the 
railroad." 

"That's  so,"  replied  the  person  Ralph  supposed 
to  be  Ames.  "All  right,  I'll  not  miss  on  my  end 
of  the  case.  Only,  don't  send  any  more  packages 
of  the  silk  to  friends.  The  one  Slump  sent  might 
have  got  you  into  trouble." 

"I  never  knew  he  did  it  at  the  time."  was  re- 
sponded. "I  raised  a  big  row  when  I  found  out. 
You  see,  Evans,  the  man  he  sent  it  to,  is  in  with 
us  in  a  way,  and  is  a  particular  friend  of  Ike 
Slump,  but  it  was  a  big  risk  to  send  him  goods 
that  might  be  traced  right  back  to  us.  Safe  hid- 
ing place,  eh  ?" 

The  speaker  had  proceeded  to  some  bushes 
guarding  the  entrance  to  a  cave-like  depression  in 
the  dirt,  gravel  and  rocks.     He  re-appeared  with 


64  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

some  packages  for  his  companion.  Then  both 
went  away  from  the  spot. 

"Why,"  said  Ralph,  with  considerable  satisfac- 
tion, "this  is  the  hiding  place  of  the  plunder.  I 
am  in  possession,  and  what  am  I  going  to  do 
about  it?" 

The  discovery  had  come  about  so  easily  that 
the  young  fireman  could  scarcely  plan  out  a  next 
intelligent  move  all  in  a  moment. 

"Ames  is  an  accomplice  of  the  thieves,"  he 
decided,  "who  are  going  to  use  Joe's  wagon  to 
remove  the  bulk  of  this  plunder.  They  will  soon 
be  here.    What  had  I  better  do — what  can  I  do  ?" 

Ralph  went  in  among  the  bushes  as  the  men 
had  done.  He  took  a  glance  at  a  great  heap  of 
packages  lying  in  a  depression  in  the  rocks.  Then 
he  advanced  a  few  steps  towards  the  edge  of  the 
cliff. 

Ralph  looked  down  fully  two  hundred  feet  into 
the  railroad  cut.  This  was  almost  the  spot  where 
the  landslide  had  stopped  the  Dover  night  freight. 
The  main  tracks  were  clear  now,  but  on  a  gravel 
pit  siding  were  several  cars. 

"Why,"  exclaimed  Ralph  suddenly,  "if  I  only 
have  the  time  to  do  it  in,  I  have  got  the  whole 
affair  right  in  my  own  hands." 

A  plan  to  deprive  the  railroad  thieves  of  their 
booty  had  come  into  the  mind  of  the  young  fire- 


THE  HIDDEN  PLUNDER  65 

man.  Ralph  filled  his  arms  with  the  packages  of 
silk,  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  threw  them 
over,  and  continued  his  operation  until  he  had  re- 
moved the  last  parcel  from  its  hiding  place. 

"Something  more  to  do  yet,"  he  told  himself, 
when  this  task  was  completed.  "When  the  thieves 
discover  that  their  plunder  is  gone,  they  may 
surmise  that  it  disappeared  this  way.  Can  I  make 
a  safe  descent?" 

Ralph  had  a  hard  time  getting  down  into  the 
railroad  cut.  Once  there,  he  hastily  threw  the  silk 
packages  into  a  half -filled  gravel  car,  with  a 
shovel  covered  them  all  over  with  sand  and 
gravel,  and  then  started  on  a  run  for  Brocton. 


CHAPTER  IX 

A  SUSPICIOUS  PROCEEDING 

"Mr.  Griscom,  this  is  life!" 

Ralph  Fairbanks  spoke  with  all  the  ardor  of  a 
lively,  ambitious  boy  in  love  with  the  work  in 
hand.  He  sat  in  the  cab  of  the  locomotive  that 
drew  the  Limited  Mail,  and  he  almost  felt  as  if 
he  owned  the  splendid  engine,  the  finest  in  the 
service  of  the  Great  Northern. 

Two  weeks  had  passed  by  since  the  young  fire- 
man had  baffled  the  railroad  thieves.  Ralph  had 
made  brief  work  of  his  special  duty  for  Adair,  the 
road  detective,  and  there  had  come  to  him  a  re- 
ward for  doing  his  duty  that  was  beyond  his  fond- 
est expectations.  This  was  a  promotion  that  most 
beginners  in  his  line  would  not  have  earned  in  any 
such  brief  space  of  time.  The  recovery  of  the 
stolen  silk,  however,  had  made  Bob  Adair  a  better 
friend  than  ever.  The  road  detective  had  influ- 
ence, and  Ralph  was  promoted  to  the  proud  posi- 
tion of  fireman  of  the  Limited  Mail. 

This  was  his  first  trip  in  the  passenger  service, 

66 


A  SUSPICIOUS  PROCEEDIXG  fy 

and  naturally  Ralph  was  anxious  and  excited. 
Griscom  had  been  made  engineer,  his  eyes  having 
mended,  and  Ralph  was  very  glad  that  the  veteran 
railroader  would  continue  as  his  partner. 

Regarding  the  silk  robbery,  that  was  now  an- 
cient history,  but  for  several  days  the  occurrence 
had  been  one  of  interest  all  along  the  line.  Adair 
had  made  public  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
and  Ralph  became  quite  a  hero. 

The  night  he  had  managed  to  get  the  plunder 
into  the  gravel  car  he  had  instantly  secured  as- 
sistance at  Brocton.  The  valuable  goods  were 
guarded  all  night,  and  a  party  of  men  made  a 
search  for  the  thieves,  but  they  had  taken  the 
alarm  and  had  escaped. 

Zeph  Dallas  had  gone  back  to  Millville  with 
Limpy  Joe,  and  went  to  work  there.  A  further 
search  was  made  for  Ike  Slump,  Mort  Bemis  and 
their  accom;>!ices,  but  they  could  not  be  found. 
Jim  Eva-Ti  had  been  discharged  from  the  railroad 
service.  Nothing  more  was  heard  of  Gasper  Far- 
rington,  and  it  seemed  to  Ralph  as  if  at  last  his 
enemies  had  been  fully  routed  and  there  was  noth- 
ing but  a  clear  track  ahead. 

"It  feels  as  if  I  was  beginning  life  all  over 
again,"  Ralph  had  told  his  mother  that  morning. 
"Fireman  of  the  Limited  Mail — just  think  of  it, 
mother!  one  of  the  best  positions  on  the  road." 


68  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

Ralph  decided  that  the  position  demanded  very 
honorable  treatment,  and  he  looked  neat  and  quite 
dressed  up,  even  in  his  working  clothes,  as  he 
now  sat  in  the  engine  cab. 

Griscom  proceeded  to  give  him  lots  of  sugges- 
tions and  information  regarding  his  new  duties. 

There  had  been  a  change  in  the  old  time 
schedule  of  the  Limited  Mail.  Originally  it  had 
started  from  the  city  terminus  in  the  early  morn- 
ing. Now  the  run  was  reversed,  and  the  train 
left  Stanley  Junction  at  10:15  A.  M. 

Ralph  proceeded  to  get  everything  in  order  for 
the  prospective  run,  but  everything  was  so  handy, 
it  was  a  pleasure  to  contemplate  his  duties. 

Just  before  train  time  a  boy  came  running  up 
to  the  engine.  He  was  an  old  schoolmate  and  a 
neighbor. 

"Ralph !  Ralph !"  he  called  breathlessly  to  the 
young  fireman.  "Your  mother  sent  me  with  a 
letter  that  she  got  at  the  post-office." 

"For  me?    Thank  you,  Ned,"  said  Ralph. 

He  glanced  at  the  address.  The  handwriting 
was  unfamiliar.  There  was  no  time  left  to  inspect 
the  enclosure,  so  Ralph  slipped  the  letter  in  his 
pocket  and  proceeded  to  attend  to  the  fire. 

He  quite  forgot  the  letter  after  that,  finding 
the  duties  of  a  first-class  fireman  to  be  extremely 
arduous.    There  was  plenty  of  coal  to  shovel,  and 


A  SUSPICIOUS  PROCEEDING  6g 

he  was  pretty  well  tired  out  when  they  reached 
the  city  terminus. 

"There,  lad,"  said  Griscom  proudly,  as  they 
steamed  into  the  depot  on  time  to  a  second.  "This 
makes  me  feel  like  old  times  once  more." 

There  was  a  wait  of  four  hours  in  the  city, 
during  which  period  the  train  hands  were  at  lib 
erty  to  spend  their  time  as  they  chose.  Griscom 
took  Ralph  to  a  neat  little  hotel,  where  they  had 
a  meal  and  the  privileges  of  a  reading  room.  It 
was  there  that  Ralph  suddenly  remembered  the 
letter  sent  to  him  that  morning  by  his  mother. 

As  he  opened  it  he  was  somewhat  puzzled,  for 
the  signature  was  strange  to  him.  The  missive 
stated  that  the  writer  "was  acting  for  a  former 
resident  of  Stanley  Junction  who  wished  to  settle 
up  certain  obligations,  if  a  satisfactory  arrange- 
ment could  me  made."  Further  the  writer,  as 
agent  of  the  party  in  question,  would  meet  Ralph 
at  a  certain  hotel  at  a  certain  time  and  impart  to 
him  his  instructions. 

The  young  fireman  was  about  to  consult  Gris- 
com as  to  this  mysterious  missive,  but  found  the 
old  engineer  engaged  in  conversation  with  some 
fellow  railroaders,  and,  leaving  the  place,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  the  hotel  named  in  the  letter. 

He  was  an  hour  ahead  of  the  time  appointed  in 
the  communication  and  waited  patiently  for  de- 


70  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

velopments,  thinking  a  good  deal  and  wondering 
what  would  come  of  the  affair. 

Finally  a  man  came  into  the  place,  acting  as  if 
he  was  looking  for  somebody.  He  was  an  under- 
sized person  with  a  mean  and  crafty  face.  He 
glanced  at  Ralph,  hesitated  somewhat,  and  then 
advanced  towards  him. 

"Is  your  name  Fairbanks?"  he  questioned. 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph  promptly. 

"Wrote  you  a  letter.'' 

"I  received  one,  yes,"  said  Ralph.  "May  I  ask 
its  meaning?" 

"Well,  there  is  nothing  gained  by  beating  about 
the  bush.  I  represent,  as  an  attorney,  Mr.  Gasper 
Farrington." 

"I  thought  that  when  I  read  your  letter,"  said 
Ralph. 

"Then  we  understand  each  other,"  pursued  the 
attorney.  "Now  then,  see  here,  Farrington  wants 
to  do  the  square  thing  by  you." 

"He  ought  to,"  answered  Ralph.  "He  owei 
us  twenty  thousand  dollars  and  he  has  got  to  pay 
it." 

"Oh,  yes,  you  can  undoubtedly  collect  it  irt 
time,"  admitted  the  man. 

"But  why  all  this  mystery?"  asked  Ralph 
abruptly.     "In  an  important  matter  like  this^  if 


A  SUSPICIOUS  PROCEEDING  71 

appears  to  me  some  regular  attorney  might  con- 
sult our  attorneys  at  Stanley  junction.'' 

"Farrington  won't  do  that.  He  don't  feel  the 
kindest  in  the  world  towards  your  people.  Here 
is  his  simple  proposition :  This  affair  is  to  be 
settled  up  quietly  between  the  parties  directly  in- 
terested. I  am  to  give  you  certain  papers  for 
your  mother  to  sign.  You  get  them  attended  to. 
You  will  be  later  advised  where  and  when  to  de- 
liver them  and  get  your  money." 

"Twenty  thousand  dollars?"  said  Ralph. 

"Yes." 

Ralph  did  not  like  the  looks  of  things,  but  he 
kept  his  own  counsel,  and  simply  said : 

"Very  well,  give  me  the  documents  you  speak 
of  and  I  will  act  upon  them  as  my  mother  de- 
cides." 

"And  keep  the  business  strictly  to  yourselves." 

This  looked  reasonable  to  Ralph.  He  knew 
that  Farrington  felt  deeply  the  disgrace  already 
attached  to  his  n^vne  for  past  misdeeds  of  which 
he  had  been  guilty. 

"We  have  no  desire  to  humiliate  Mr.  Farring- 
ton any  further,"  he  said.  "We  simply  insist  upon 
our  rights.  This  strikes  me  as  a  mysterious  and 
uncalled-for  method  of  settling  up  a  claim  purely 
business-like  in  its  character." 


72  RALPH  ON  THE  EXGISE 

"That  is  the  way  of  old  Farrington,  you  know,"1 
suggested  the  man,  with  a  coarse  laugh. 

"Yes,  he  seems  to  be  given  to  dark  ways,"  said 
Ralph. 

"Then  it  is  all  arranged?"  questioned  the  "law- 
yer" eagerly. 

"So  far  as  it  can  be  arranged  for  the  time  be- 
ing." 

"Very  well,  you  shall  hear  from  us  in  a  few 
days." 

Ralph  left  the  hotel  with  one  fixed  conviction 
in  his  mind — that  old  Gasper  Farrington  was  up 
to  some  new  scheme  and  that  it  would  be  wise  to 
look  out  for  him. 


CHAPTER  X 
the:  special 

Within  a  week  the  young  fireman  of  the 
Limited  Mail  was  in  full  swing  as  a  trusted  and 
valued  employe  of  the  Great  Northern.  Engineer 
Griscom  had  got  the  time  schedule  down  to  a 
system  of  which  he  was  proud.  They  made  suc- 
cessful runs  without  a  break  or  accident,  and 
Ralph  loved  the  life  for  its  variety,  experience 
and  promise  of  sure  promotion. 

The  documents  given  to  him  for  his  mother  by 
the  agent  of  Gasper  Farrington  in  the  city  were 
apparently  all  regular  and  business-like.  They 
covered  receipt  for  twenty  thousand  dollars,  desig- 
nating certain  numbered  bonds  indicated,  but  one 
phrase  which  exonerated  the  village  magnate 
from  blame  or  crooked  dealing  in  the  affair  Ralph 
did  not  at  all  like.  He  believed  that  there  was 
some  specious  scheme  under  this  matter  and  he 
awaited  developments. 

One  blustering  night  he  and  Griscom  had  just 
73 


74  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGI.XE 

run  the  engine  into  the  roundhouse,  when  Tim 
Forgan,  the  foreman,  came  hastening  towards 
them,  a  paper  fluttering  in  his  hand  and  accom- 
panied by  a  young  fellow  about  twenty  years  of 
age.  The  latter  was  handsome  and  manly-looking, 
very  well  dressed,  and  Ralph  liked  him  on  sight. 

"The  very  men,"  spoke  Forgan,  showing  an 
unusual  excitement  of  manner.  '"Griscom,  Fair- 
banks, let  me  introduce  you  to  Mr.  Trevor." 

Engineer  and  fireman  bowed,  but  the  young 
man  insisted  on  shaking  hands  cordially  with  his 
new  acquaintances. 

"Glad  to  meet  you,  gentlemen,"  he  said  briskly. 
"I  have  heard  nothing  but  regrets  as  to  your  ab- 
sence and  praises  for  your  ability  in  the  railroad 
line  from  Forgan  here.  Tell  your  story,  Mr.  For- 
gan. You  know  time  is  money  to  me,  just  at 
present,"  and  the  speaker  consulted  an  elegant 
timepiece  in  a  hurried,  anxious  way. 

"Why,  it's  just  this,"  said  Forgan.  "Mr. 
Trevor,  who  is  a  nephew  of  the  president  of  the 
road,  came  to  me  with  a  telegram  directing  us  to 
send  him  through  to  the  city  on  the  quickest  time 
on  record." 

"A  special,  eh?"  said  Griscom,  eyeing  the 
young  man  speculatively. 

"About  that,  only  there  is  no  time  to  waste  in 
making  up  a  train,  and  he  inclines  to  riding  on 


THE  SPECIAL  75 

the  locomotive.  The  train  dispatcher  will  give 
clear  tracks  to  terminus.  We  were  just  picking 
out  an  engine  when  you  arrived.  How  is  it, 
Griscom?" 

"You  mean,  will  we  undertake  the  job?"  in- 
quired the  veteran  engineer  in  his  practical, 
matter-of-fact  way. 

"Exactly,"  nodded  Trevor  eagerly. 

"After  a  hard  double  run?''  insinuated 
Griscom. 

"That's  so;  it  isn't  right  to  ask  them,  Forgan. 
Give  me  some  other  engine." 

"Won't  you  wait  till  I  answer?"  demanded 
Griscom.  "Yes,  we  will,  and  glad  to  show  you 
tie  courtesy.     Is  that  right,  Fairbanks?" 

"Certainly,"  replied  Ralph.  "Is  it  a  matter  of 
a  great  deal  of  urgency..  Mr.  Trevor?" 

"Particularly  so.  I  have  come  five  hundred 
miles  on  other  roads  on  specials.  I  must  connect 
with  a  train  in  the  city  at  a  certain  time,  or  I  miss 
Europe  and  important  business." 

Old  Griscom  took  out  his  greasv,  well-worn 
train  schedule.  He  looked  it  over  and  pointing 
♦"O  the  regular  time  made,  said : 

"We  can  discount  that  exactly  seventy-two 
minutes." 

"And  that  will  bring  me  to  terminus  exactlv  on 
time,"  said  the  young  man  brightly.     "Do  it,  my 


76  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

friends,  and  you  shall  have  a  hundred  dollars  be- 
tween you." 

"That  isn't  at  all  necessary" — began  Griscom. 

"I  beg  pardon,  but  in  this  case  it  is,"  broke  in 
Trevor.  "It's  all  arranged.  Thanks.  I  will  put 
on  a  rain  coat,  and  if  you  will  stow  me  in  some 
corner  of  the  tender  I  shall  enjoy  the  run." 

Forgan  bustled  about.  Through  the  call  boy 
of  the  roundhouse  Ralph  sent  word  to  his  mother 
of  the  extra  trip.  Then  he  worked  like  a  beaver 
on  the  locomotive.  Trevor  watched  him  in  a 
pleased  and  admiring  way. 

They  ran  the  locomotive  out  on  the  turn  table. 
Griscom  consulted  his  watch,  talked  a  few 
moments  with  Forgan,  and  said  to  Ralph  : 

"Tracks  clear  in  twelve  minutes,  lad.  Just 
time  enough  to  get  a  bite  at  the  nearest  restau- 
rant." 

When  they  returned,  Trevor  stood  near  the 
engine  glancing  all  around  him  in  a  very  animated 
way. 

"Looking  for  Forgan?"  inquired  the  old  en- 
gineer. 

"Oh,  no.  I  was  wondering  where  a  fellow 
disappeared  to  who  was  hanging  around  the 
tender  a  few  minutes  ago.  He  and  a  companion 
have  been  following  me  ever  since  I  arrived." 

"Then  they  have  given  up  the  job,"  observed 


THE  SPECIAL 


77 


Griscom,  glancing  keenly  about.  "Why  should 
they  follow  you,  Mr.  Trevor?" 

"That  I  cannot  tell.  Probably  thought  I 
looked  prosperous,  and  were  bent  on  waylaying 
me.  Anyhow,  they  kept  close  to  me  down  the 
tracks  from  the  depot.     Ready?" 

"In  precisely  one  minute.  There  is  the  Dover 
Accommodation  now,"  announced  the  engineer, 
as  a  headlight  came  around  a  curve.  "All  right. 
We'll  have  to  coal  up  at  the  limits.  Then  we  will 
make  you  a  comfortable  seat,  Mr.  Trevor." 

"Don't  you  give  yourselves  any  concern  about 
me,"  replied  Trevor.   "I  am  used  to  railroad  life." 

They  coaled  up  at  the  limits,  but  did  not  stop 
for  water,  the  tank  being  three-quarters  full. 
Ralph  made  tests  of  air  valve  and  water  pump, 
shook  down  the  furnace,  and  the  locomotive 
quivered  under  high-steam  pressure  as  they 
started  on  their  special  run. 

A  flagman  shouted  something  at  them  as  they 
passed  a  switch. 

"What  was  he  saying?"  inquired  Griscom. 

"I  couldn't  hear  him,"  said  Ralph. 

"Thought  he  pointed  at  the  engine— at  the  cow- 
catcher," remarked  Trevor. 

"Everything  all  right  there,"  assured  Ralph, 
and  in  the  brisk  action  of  the  hour  the  circum- 
stance was  forgotten. 


78  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

Twenty,  thirty,  forty  miles  made,  and  as  they 
slowed  clown  Grisconi  turned  to  Trevor,  a  proud 
glitter  in  his  eye. 

"How  is  that,  sir?"  he  inquired. 

"Famous!"  cried  the  young  man  cheerily. 
"Badly  shaken  up,  and  this  seat  up  here  is  rather 
bumpy,  but  I  enjoy  it,  just  the  same.  Going  to 
stop?" 

"Yes,  crossing.  Only  for  half-a-minute, 
though." 

The  engine  halted  on  regular  signal.  Griscom 
got  down  and  ran  about  a  bit,  explaining  that  he 
was  subject  to  cramps  when  seated  long  in  one 
position.     Two  men  came  up  to  the  locomotive. 

"Give  us  a  lift?"  demanded  one  of  them. 

"Couldn't  do  it,  partner,"  responded  Ralph. 
"Under  special  orders." 

"Plenty  of  room  up  there  on  the  tender." 

"Not  for  you,"  answered  the  young  fireman. 

Both  men  regarded  Trevor  very  keenly.  Then 
they  disappeared  in  the  darkness.  Ralph  got  the 
signal  from  the  crossing's  switch  tower  to  go 
ahead. 

"Mr.  Griscom,"  he  called  out  from  his  window. 

"Why,  where  is  lie? — I  don't  see  him,"  said 
Trevor  in  surprise.  "I  saw  him  out  there  not  a 
minute  ago." 

Ralph   jumped   to  the   ground   in  amazement 


THE  SPECIAL 


79 


Nowhere  in  sight  was  Griscom ;  nowhere  within 
hearing  either,  it  seemed.  Like  the  two  rough 
fellows  who  had  just  approached  the  engine,  Gris- 
com has  disappeared. 

"Why,  this  is  mysterious,"  declared  the  young 
fireman  in  an  anxious  tone  of  concern.  "Where 
can  he  have  disappeared  to?" 

"I  don't  like  the  looks  of  things."  spoke  Trevor. 
"Something  is  wrong,  Fairbanks,"  he  continued. 
"Look  ahead  there — I  just  saw  a  man  on  the  cow- 
catcher." 

Now  Ralph  was  more  than  mystified,  he  wras 
alarmed.  He  seized  a  rod  and  jumped  again  to  the 
ground.  Sure  enough,  on  the  cowcatcher  sat  a 
man,  huddled  up  comfortably. 

"Who  are  you?"  demanded  Ralph,  keeping  his 
distance  and  eyeing  the  intruder  suspiciously. 

"Call  me  a  tramp,  if  you  like,"  laughed  the 
fellow. 

"You  must  get  off  of  that  cowcatcher." 

"Who  says  so?" 

"I  do — against  the  rules.     Come,  move  on." 

"You  try  to  put  me  off,  youngster."  drawled 
ihe  fellow,  with  an  ugly  look  in  his  eyes,  "and  I'll 
use  this,"  and  he  drew  a  revolver  from  his  pocket. 
"I  want  a  free  ride,  and  I  intend  to  have  it." 

"Will  you  make  me  stop  at  the  tower  to  get 
fou  put  off?"  threatened  Ralph, 


80  RALPH  OS  HIE  EXGIXE 

"You  won't.  There's  no  one  there  but  the 
towerman,  and  he  can't  leave  duty,  and  you  won't 
stop  because  you're  on  a  fast  run.  Take  it  easy, 
sonny.  I  don't  weigh  much,  and  I  won't  hurt 
your  old  locomotive." 

Ralph  could  do  nothing  better  than  submit  to 
the  imposition  for  the  time  being.  He  returned 
to  the  cab.  His  face  was  quite  anxious.  He 
called  again  to  Griscom. 

"I  can't  understand  it,"  he  said.  "What  can 
have  befallen  him?  Keep  a  close  watch  here  for 
a  few  minutes,  will  you?"  he  asked  of  his  passen- 
ger. 

Ralph  took  a  lantern  and  ran  down  the  tracks, 
flashed  the  light  across  the  empty  freights  lining 
the  tracks,  and  returned  to  the  locomotive  more 
anxious  than  ever. 

"I  can't  think  what  to  do,  Mr.  Trevor,"  he 
said. 

The  young  man  consulted  his  watch  nervously. 

"Tell  you,  Fairbanks,  we  mustn't  lose  time. 
You  can't  find  your  partner.  Run  to  the  tower 
and  have  the  man  there  telegraph  the  circum- 
stances and  get  someone  to  look  for  Griscom 
We  will  have  to  run  on  without  him." 

"Without  Griscom!"  cried  Ralph.  "Why,  we 
cannot  possibly  secure  a  substitute  this  side  of 
Dover." 


THE  SPECIAL  8 1 

"Don't  need  one — you  know  how  to  run  an 
engine,  don't  you?" 

"In  a  fashion,  probably,  but  I  am  worried  about 
Mr.  Griscom." 

"The  towerman  can  attend  to  that.  I  don't 
want  to  appear  selfish,  Fairbanks,  but  you  must 
get  this  special  through  on  time  or  get  to  some 
point  where  we  can  find  another  engineer." 

"I  don't  like  it,"  said  Ralph.  "Without  a  fire- 
man, too." 

"I'll  attend  to  that  department,"  said  Trevor, 
briskly  throwing  off"  his  coat.  "Now  then,  the 
tower,  your  word  to  the  operator  there,  and  make 
up  for  lost  time,  Fairbanks,  if  you  want  to  earn 
that  hundred  dollars." 


CHAPTER  XI 


KIDNAPPED 


Ralph  climbed  to  the  engineer's  seat  with 
many  misgivings  and  very  anxious  concerning  his 
missing  partner.  He  knew  how  to  run  an  engine, 
for  the  young  fireman  had  watched  Griscom  at  his 
duties,  had  studied  every  separate  piece  of  ma- 
chinery thoroughly,  and  more  than  once  had  re- 
lieved the  veteran  engineer  for  brief  periods  of 
time  between  stations. 

"That  was  all  well  enough  on  a  regular  run," 
thought  Ralph,  '"but  a  special  is  a  different  thing." 

Then,  coming  to  the  switch  tower,  lie  called 
up  to  the  operator  there,  who  was  at  the  open 
window.  He  explained  hurriedly  about  the  dis- 
appearance of  Griscom.  He  also  asked  the  tower- 
man  to  telegraph  ahead  to  Dover  for  a  substitute 
engineer.  The  operator  said  he  would  have  some 
men  come  down  from  the  first  station  back  on  the 
route  on  a  handcar  to  search  for  the  missing  rail- 
roader. 

82 


KIDNAPPED  83 

"Man  on  your  cowcatcher  there,"  he  called 
down  as  Ralph  started  up  the  engine. 

"No  time  to  bother  with  him  now.  Let  him 
ride  to  Dover,  if  he  wants  to,"  advised  Trevor. 
"Now,  Fairbanks,  you  to  the  throttle,  me  to  the 
furnace.  Just  give  me  a  word  of  direction  when 
i  need  it,  won't  you?" 

But  for  his  anxiety  concerning  his  missing  part- 
ner, the  young  fireman  would  have  enjoyed  the 
run  of  the  next  two  hours  immensely.  There  was 
a  clear  track — he  had  only  to  look  out  for  signals. 
He  was  entirely  familiar  with  the  route,  and 
Trevor  proved  a  capable,  practical  assistant. 

"Don't  look  much  like  the  man  who  left  a 
palace  car  to  step  into  a  locomotive  at  Stanley 
Junction,  eh  ?"  laughed  the  young  man,  reeking 
with  perspiration,  and  greasy  and  grimed. 
"How  do  I  do — all  right?" 

"You  must  have  had  experience  in  the  fireman 
line,"  submitted  Ralph. 

"Why,  yes,"  acknowledged  Trevor.  "My  uncle 
made  me  work  in  a  roundhouse  for  a  year.  Once 
I  believe  I  could  run  an  engine,  but  I've  forgotten 
a  good  deal.    Fairbanks,  look  ahead!" 

There  was  no  occasion  for  the  warning.  Al- 
ready the  young  fireman  had  discovered  what  his 
companion  announced.     As  the  locomotive  glided 


84  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

around  a  sharp  curve  a  great  glare  confronted 
them. 

Not  two  hundred  yards  ahead  was  a  mass  of 
flames  shooting  skywards.  The  bridge  crossing 
a  creek  that  was  located  at  this  part  of  the  route 
was  on  lire. 

Ralph  started  to  slow  down.  Then,  discerning 
the  impossibility  of  doing  so  this  side  of  the  burn- 
ing structure,  he  set  full  speed. 

"It's  make  or  break,"  he  said,  in  a  kind  of 
gasp. 

"Put  her  through — take  the  risk,"  ordered 
Trevor  sharply. 

Swish!  crackle!  crash! — it  was  an  eventful 
moment  in  the  career  of  the  young  fireman.  There 
was  a  blinding  glow,  a  rain  of  fire  swayed 
through  the  locomotive  cab,  then,  just  as  they 
cleared  the  bridge,  the  structure  went  down  to 
midstream. 

"We  must  get  this  news  to  Dover  quick,"  said 
Ralph,  applying  himself  anew  to  lever  and 
throttle.  "We  have  ten  minutes  to  make  up 
then." 

Clink! — snap! — a  terrific  jar  shook  the  loco- 
motive. Contrary  to  signal  given  at  the  nearest 
switch  ahead,  the  engine  veered  to  a  siding. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  demanded  Trevor 
sharply. 


KIDNAPPED  85 

"Mischief — malice,  perhaps,"  said  Ralph  quick- 
ly.    ''Freights  ahead — we  shall  have  to  stop. 

"Don't  do  it,"  directed  Trevor.  "Drive  into 
them  and  push  them  ahead  to  the  main  line  again. 
I'll  stand  all  damage." 

"They  are  empties,  I  noticed  them  on  the  after- 
noon run,"  said  the  young  fireman.  "Mr.  Trevor, 
all  this  complication,  all  these  happenings  are 
suspicious.  We  will  have  to  slow  down  to  the 
freights." 

"Slow  down  entirely,"  growled  a  sudden  voice. 
"Do  it,  or  I'll  have  it  done  by  my  partner,  who  is 
aboard  all  right." 

Both  Ralph  and  Trevor  turned  sharply.  Stand- 
ing on  the  coal  of  the  tender  was  a  man.  He  was 
dripping  with  water,  and  in  one  hand  held  a 
revolver. 

"No  delay,  Fairbanks,"  he  cautioned  sternly. 
"We've  taken  too  much  trouble  to  miss  this  last 
chance  to  get  you  and  your  passenger." 

Ralph  stopped  the  engine.  Then  calmly,  but 
with  a  certain  sense  of  peril  and  defeat,  he  faced 
the  man. 

"Where  did  you  come  from?"  demanded 
Trevor  in  amazement. 

"Only  from  inside  the  water  tank,"  responded 
the  stranger  coolly.  "Been  there  since  we  left 
Stanley  Junction." 


86  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

"Why,  you  are  one  of  the  fellows  who  were 
following  me  at  the  depot!"  cried  Trevor, 

"Correct,  boss,"  chuckled  the  stranger.  "Here's 
my  partner,"  he  announced,  as  the  man  Ralph 
had  discovered  on  the  cowcatcher  appeared  at  the 
side  of  the  cab.  "We'll  relieve  you  two  now," 
continued  the  speaker  to  Ralph  and  Trevor. 
"Move  back  on  that  coal.  We'll  try  a  bit  of  en- 
gineering ourselves." 

"See  here,  my  man,"  called  out  Trevor  sharply. 
"What  is  the  object  of  all  this?" 

"Object?"  grinned  the  man.  "You'll  know 
later.  Important,  for  it  took  four  men  on  the 
route,  lots  of  inquiring  before  you  came  to  Stan- 
ley Junction,  two  of  us  here  now,  others  waiting 
for  us  somewhere  else,  to  get  you  dead  right." 

"Me!"  exclaimed  Trevor  in  amazement.  "You 
mean  me?" 

"Nobody  else." 

"Why,  how  are  you  interested  in  me?" 

"You'll  know  soon." 

"But " 

"Stand  back,  do  as  we  say,  or  we'll  use  force," 
declared  the  speaker  gruffly. 

His  companion  guarded  Ralph  and  Trevor 
while  he  tock  the  engineer's  seat.  He  reversed 
the  engine,  ran  back  to  the  main  tracks,  from 
there,  first  setting  a  switch,  onto  a  spur,  and,  after 


KIDNAPPED  87 

following  this  for  nearly  a  mile,  shut  off  steam 
and  the  locomotive  came  to  a  stop. 

Then  the  fellow  applied  a  whistle  to  his  lips. 
Several  men  approached  the  engine.  He  con- 
sulted with  them,  and  came  back  to  Ralph  carry- 
ing a  piece  of  rope. 

"Fairbanks,"  he  said,  "we'll  have  to  tie  you 
for  safe  keeping  for  a  while."' 

"Won't  you  explain  this?"  inquired  Trevor,  in 
a  troubled  way.  "See  here,  men,  I  am  due  in  the 
city.  I  will  pay  you  handsomely  to  let  us  proceed 
on  our  trip." 

"How  much?"  inquired  the  man  who  had  acted 
as  engineer. 

"T  have  several  hundred  dollars  with  me." 

"Not  enough,"  retorted  the  man.  "We  want 
several  thousand,  seeing  you  are  worth  it." 

"I  haven't  a  thousand  dollars  in  the  world," 
declared  Trevor. 

"You  are  worth  twenty  thousand,"  insisted  the 
man  confidently.  "We'll  prove  it  to  you  a  little 
later.  Here,"  to  his  companion,  "tie  Fairbanks, 
leave  the  letter  with  him,  and  let  us  get  out  of  this 
before  anybody  is  missed." 

"One  word,"  said  Ralph.  "Are  you  people  re- 
sponsible for  the  disappearance  of  Mr.  Griscom?" 

"Perhaps,"  said  the  man.  "He's  all  safe  and 
sound — only  out  of  the  way  of  mischief  for  a 


88  RALPH  ON  THE  EXGINE 

spell.  One  other  word,  Fairbanks,  we  didn't  fire 
the  bridge." 

Trevor  looked  the  picture  of  distress  and  UP< 
certainty  as  he  was  forced  from  the  locomotive 
cab. 

"You  people  will  regret  this  high-handed  out-> 
rage,"  he  cried.  "My  uncle  is  president  of  the 
Great  Northern." 

"That  is  just  exactly  why  you  are  worth  twenty 
thousand  dollars,"  coolly  announced  the  man  who 
had  acted  as  engineer.  "Plain  and  square,  gentle- 
men, kindly  call  this  a  bit  of  kidnapping  scien- 
tifically worked  at  some  care  and  expense.  You 
come  with  us.  Fairbanks  will  do  the  rest.  Got 
him  tied  up?"  to  his  companion.  "All  right,  now 
put  the  letter  in  his  pocket." 

And,  leaving  the  young  fireman  bound  and 
helpless  on  the  floor  of  the  cab,  the  men  with 
Trevor    left  the  scene. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   RAILROAD    PRESIDENT 

The  young  fireman  had  a  good  deal  to  think 
of  as  he  lay  in  the  locomotive  cab,  unable  to  help 
himself  in  any  way.  All  the  smooth  sailing  of 
the  past  week  was  remembered  in  strong  contrast 
to  the  anxieties  of  the  present  moment. 

Ralph  had  not  recognized  any  of  the  crowd 
who  had  appeared  about  the  engine  during  the 
evening.  The  leader,  however,  seemed  to  know 
his  name.  This  inclined  Ralph  to  the  belief  that 
some  one  of  the  party  did  know  him,  and  natu- 
rally he  thought  of  Ike  Slump  and  his  associates. 

"They  are  desperate  men,  whoever  they  are," 
he  decided,  "and  they  must  have  planned  out  this 
scheme  to  perfection  to  keep  track  of  Mr.  Trevor 
and  follow  us  up  along  the  line.  That  man  in 
the  water  tank  is  a  daring  fellow.  He  must  have 
had  a  pleasant  time  in  there.  It  was  an  original 
move,  anyhow." 

It  was  in  vain  that  Ralph  endeavored  to  release 
himself.     He  was  stoutly  tied.     All  he  could  do 

89 


90 


RALPH  OX  THE  EXGLXE 


was  to  wriggle  about  and  wonder  how  soon  he 
would  be  set  free  by  his  captors  or  discovered  by 
others. 

It  must  have  been  fully  three  hours  before  there 
was  any  break  in  the  monotony  of  his  situation. 
Ralph  heard  some  one  whistling  a  tune  and 
approaching  rapidly.  Soon  a  man  appeared  on 
the  cab  step,  looked  Ralph  over  coolly,  and  ob- 
served : 

"Tired  of  waiting  for  me,  kid?" 

"Naturally,"  responded  Ralph.  "Are  you  go- 
ing to  set  me  free?" 

"That's  the  orders,  seeing  that  our  party  is  safe 
at  a  distance.  Got  enough  steam  on  to  run  the 
engine?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Ralph.  "There  was  full  pres- 
sure when  you  people  stopped  us,  and  the  steam 
lasts  about  six  hours." 

"All  right.  You  will  have  a  great  story  to  tell 
the  railroad  folks,  eh?  Don't  forget  the  letter  we 
put  in  your  pocket.  There  you  are.  Now  then, 
go  about  your  business  and  don't  say  we  did  not 
treat  you  like  a  gentleman.  Oh — ooh !  What's 
this?" 

The  man  had  cut  the  ropes  that  held  Ralph 
captive,  and  carelessly  swung  to  the  step.  In  a 
flash  the  yor.r.g  fireman  was  on  his  mettle. 
Springing  to  his  feet,  Ralph  snatched  at  a  hooked 


THE  RAILROAD  PRESIDENT 


91 


rod.  Reaching  out,  he  caught  the  man  by  the 
coat  collar  and  pulled  him  back  flat  across  the  cab 
floor  where  he  had  just  lain. 

"You  lie  still,  or  I  shall  use  harsh  measures,'' 
declared  Ralph,  springing  upon  his  captive  and 
menacing  him  with  the  rod.  "Hold  up  your 
hands,  folded,  and  let  me  tie  you." 

"Well,  I  guess  not!" 

"Yes,  you  shall !"  cried  Ralph. 

In  a  second  the  situation  changed.  The  man 
was  much  stronger  than  his  opponent.  He  man- 
aged to  throw  Ralph  off,  and  got  to  his  knees. 
The  young  fireman  decided,  as  the  fellow  reached 
for  a  weapon,  to  strike  out  with  the  iron  rod.  It 
landed  heavily  on  the  man's  temple,  and  he  fell 
back  senseless  on  the  coal  of  the  tender  with  a 
groan. 

Ralph  securely  tied  his  captive.  Then  he  re- 
versed the  lever  and  opened  the  throttle.  In  a 
minute  he  was  speeding  back  over  the  spur  the 
way  the  locomotive  had  come  four  hours  previous. 

"We  have  one  of  the  kidnappers,  at  least,"  he 
said  with  satisfaction.  "Ah,  there  is  some  one  at 
the  bridge,"  he  added,  as  he  ran  down  the  main 
tracks. 

Signals  of  danger  were  set  on  both  sides  of  the 
creek,  and  Ralph  could  make  out  men  in  the  dis- 
tance moving  about.     He  was  soon  on  the  scene. 


92  RALPH  OX  THE  EXG1XE 

A  track-walker  had  discovered  the  burning 
bridge  and  had  summoned  assistance. 

There  was  only  one  thing  to  do  with  the  loco- 
motive, to  run  on  to  Dover,  and  this  Ralph  did  at 
once.  He  reported  the  occurrences  of  the  even- 
ing to  the  assistant  superintendent,  whom  he 
found  getting  a  wrecking  crew  together. 

"Well,  this  is  a  serious  and  amazing  piece  of 
business,"  commented  that  official.  "Here,  men/' 
he  called  to  his  assistants  on  the  wrecking  car, 
"fetch  this  fellow  into  the  shanty  yonder." 

The  man  Ralph  had  knocked  down  in  the  loco- 
motive cab  had  recovered  consciousness.  He  was 
brought  into  the  shanty  and  questioned,  but  was 
sullen  and  silent. 

"Won't  tell  anything,  eh?"  said  the  assistant 
superintendent. 

"The  letter  says  all  there  is  to  say,"  remarked 
the  captive  coolly,  "but  that  twenty  thousand 
dollars  will  never  find  young  Trevor  if  you  keep 
me  a  prisoner." 

"A  prisoner  safe  and  tight  you  shall  be,"  de- 
clared the  railroad  official  with  determination. 
"Take  him  to  the  town  jail,  men,"  he  added.  "I 
must  wire  for  the  president  of  the  road  at  once, 
and  to  Adair  at  Stanley  Junction.  What's  your 
plan,  Fairbanks?"  he  asked  of  Ralph. 


THE  RAILROAD  PRESIDENT 


93 


"I  hardly  know,"  responded  the  young  fireman. 
"I  don't  see  that  I  can  be  of  any  assistance  here." 

The  letter  the  kidnappers  had  left  with  Ralph 
was  terse  and  clear  as  to  its  directions.  The 
writer  demanded  twenty  thousand  dollars  for  the 
return  of  young  Trevor,  and  indicated  how  his 
friends  might  get  in  correspondence  with  his 
captors  through  an  advertisement  in  the  city 
newspapers. 

"The  wrecking  car  is  going  to  the  bridge,  Fair- 
banks," said  the  official.  "You  can  cross  the 
creek  some  way  and  use  a  handcar,  if  they  have 
Dne.  Tell  the  men  there  I  say  so.  As  to  your 
prisoner,  I  will  see  that  he  is  taken  care  of." 

It  was  just  daylight  when  Ralph  reached  the 
switch  tower  where  Griscom  had  disappeared. 
The  towerman  had  just  been  relieved  from  duty, 
and  met  Ralph  with  eager  welcome  as  he  was 
approaching  the  place. 

"Glad  to  see  you,"  he  said.  "We  just  found 
Griscom." 

"Where  is  he?"  inquired  Ralph  quickly. 

"In  the  tower,  all  safe  and  comfortable  now, 
but  he  had  a  hard  time  of  it  lying  all  night  in  a 
freight  car,  gagged  and  tied.  He  is  fighting  mad, 
don't  understand  the  affair,  and  worried  to  death 
about  you." 

"Oh,  I  am  all  right,"  said  Ralph. 


94  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"I  see  you  are.  But  what  has  happened,  any- 
how? You'll  want  to  tell  Griscom,  won't  you? 
Well,  I'll  go  back  with  you  to  hear  your  story, 
too." 

It  was  an  interesting  scene,  the  meeting  of  the 
engineer  and  the  young  fireman.  Griscom  fretted 
and  fumed  over  the  mishaps  to  his  pet  locomotive. 
He  was  furious  at  the  gang  who  had  worked  out 
such  mischief. 

"I'll  wire  my  resignation  when  we  reach  Stan- 
ley Junction,"  he  declared.  "I'll  do  no  more  rail- 
road work  until  I  find  those  scoundrels  and  rescue 
young  Trevor." 

"Don't  be  rash,  Mr.  Griscom,"  advised  Ralph. 
"The  railroad  detective  force  will  soon  be  on  the 
trail.  The  nephew  of  a  railroad  president  doesn't 
disappear  in  this  fashion  every  day  in  the  year." 

When  they  got  back  to  Stanley  Junction  they 
were  interviewed  at  once  by  Bob  Adair.  Both 
were  worn  out  with  double  duty  and  got  to  bed  as 
quickly  as  possible. 

Ralph  reported  at  the  roundhouse  late  in  the 
afternoon,  but  learned  that  there  would  be  no 
through  trains  out  until  a  temporary  bridge  was 
erected  over  the  creek  near  Dover. 

He  returned  to  the  house,  and  was  pleased  with 
the  thought  of  having  a  social  evening  at  home 
and  a  good  night's  rest. 


THE  RAILROAD  PRESIDENT  95 

It  was  shortly  after  dark,  and  Ralph  was  read- 
ing a  book  in  the  cozy  sitting  room  of  the  home 
cottage,  when  the  door  bell  rang. 

The  young  fireman  answered  the  summons.  A 
stranger  stood  at  the  threshold.  He  was  a  dig- 
nified, well-dressed  gentleman,  but  seemed  to  be 
laboring  under  some  severe  mental  strain,  for  he 
acted  nervous  and  agitated. 

"Mr.  Fairbanks — Ralph  Fairbanks?"  he  in- 
quired in  a  tone  of  voice  that  quivered  slightly. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  young  fireman. 

"I  am  very  anxious  to  have  a  talk  with  you," 
said  the  stranger  hurriedly.  "I  have  been  down 
the  line,  and  have  just  arrived  at  Stanley  Junction. 
My  name  is  Grant,  Robert  Grant,  and  I  am  the 
president  of  the  Great   Northern  Railroad." 

"Come  in,  sir,"  said  Ralph  cordially,  deeply 
impressed  with  welcoming  so  important  a  visitor, 
but  maintaining  his  usual  manly  pose.  He 
showed  the  official  into  the  house  and  introduced 
him  to  his  mother. 

Mr.  Grant  was  soon  in  the  midst  of  his  story. 
He  had  been  for  many  hours  at  Dover  trying  to 
discover  a  trace  of  his  missing  nephew,  and  had 
signally  failed. 

"Mr.  Adair,  the  road  detective,  advised  me  to 
see  you,"  said  Mr.  Grant,  "for  you  saw  the  men 


96  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

who  captured  my  nephew.  "Would  you  know 
them  again?" 

"Some  of  them,"  responded  Ralph. 

"Very  well,  then.  I  ask  you  as  a  special  favor 
to  return  with  me  to  Dover  and  assist  me  in  my 
task." 

"I  will  do  so  gladly,"  said  Ralph. 

One  hour  later  a  special  conveyed  the  president 
of  the  Great  Northern  and  Ralph  Fairbanks  down 
the  line  to  Dover. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
the;  short  line  railway 

Ralph  attracted  a  good  deal  of  attention  when 
he  arrived  at  Dover,  and  fully  realized  the  honor 
of  being  treated  as  a  companion  by  the  president 
of  the  great  railroad  of  which  he  was  an  em- 
ploye. Mr.  Grant  was  pleasant  and  friendly. 
He  learned  Ralph's  story,  and  discussed  railroad 
experience  in  a  way  that  was  enlightening  and 
encouraging  to  the  young  fireman. 

"About  these  kidnappers,"  he  said,  "I  will  never 
give  them  a  dollar,  but  I  will  spend  all  I  have  to 
rescue  my  nephew.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  you 
shall  be  richly  rewarded  if  you  assist  me  success- 
fully." 

"I  will  do  my  best,  sir,"  pledged  Ralph. 

At  Dover  they  were  met  by  Adair.  They  went 
into  the  depot  and  sat  down  on  a  bench  in  a  re- 
mote corner. 

"I  have  not  discovered  the  kidnappers  nor  the 
faintest  clew  to  them,  Mr.  Grant,"  said  Adair. 

The  railroad  president  sighed  deeply.  He 
97 


98  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

showed  in  his  face  and  manner  the  care  and 
anxiety  he  was  suffering. 

"Can  you  suggest  anything,  Fairbanks?"  con- 
tinued Adair.  "You  know  the  district  fairly  well. 
What  is  your  idea  about  these  men?" 

Ralph  astonished  his  companions  by  suddenly 
arising  to  his  feet  and  hurrying  towards  a  boy 
who  had  just  entered  the  depot  and  had  taken  up 
a  pen  and  a  telegraph  pad  on  the  counter  outside 
the  ticket  office. 

It  was  Van  Sherwin,  the  old-time  friend  of 
Ralph.,  and  pleasure  at  recognizing  him  had 
caused  the  young  fireman  to  act  on  an  impulse. 

"Why.  Van!"  he  cried,  "I  am  glad  to  see  you." 

"Eh?"  spoke  the  other.  "Ralph  !  well,  the  glad- 
ness is  mutual,"  and  the  pair  shook  hands  cor- 
dially. 

"What  brought  you   here?"   asked   Ralph. 

"Came  down  from  headquarters  in  the  timber 
on  important  business,"  replied  Van.  "Just  send- 
ing a  telegram." 

"Why!"  almost  shouted  Ralph,  glancing  at  the 
blank  upon  which  his  friend  had  just  written  a 
name,  "to  Mr.  Grant,  to  the  president  of  the 
Great  Northern!" 

"Yes,"  answered  Van.  "Does  that  startle 
you?" 

"It  does.     What  are  you  wiring  him  for?" 


THE  SHORT-LINE  RAILWAY 


99 


"About  his  nephew,  Dudley  Trevor." 

Ralph  was  fairly  taken  off  his  feet,  as  the  say- 
ing goes.     He  grasped  Van's  arm  excitedly. 

"See  here.  Van  Sherwin,"  he  cried.  "What 
do  you  know  of  Mr.  Trevor?" 

"Only  that  he  is  at  our  headquarters  with  a 
"broken  arm,  and  lie  sent  me  here  to  wire  his  uncle 
the  fact." 

Ralph  was  delighted.  He  could  scarcely  credit 
the  glad  news.  He  led  Van  up  to  the  railroad 
president  and  the  road  detective  with  the  words : 

"Gentlemen,  I  am  very  happy  to  tell  you  that 
Mr.  Trevor  is  in  safe  hands,  and  my  friend  here 
will  explain.  Van  Sherwin,  this  is  Mr.  Grant, 
the  president  of  the  Great  Northern." 

Van  nodded  in  his  crisp,  off-hand  way  to  Adair, 
whom  he  knew,  and  took  off  his  cap  to  his  dig- 
nified companion. 

His  story  was  to  his  auditors  most  remarkable 
and  exciting,  but  to  Van  only  the  narration  of  a 
perfectly  natural  occurrence.  Early  that  morning 
there  had  come  into  "headquarters,"  as  Van 
termed  it,  a  young  man  in  an  almost  exhausted 
condition.  His  attire  was  all  torn  with  brambles 
and  bushes  and  one  arm  was  broken. 

"He  told  us  his  name,  and  said  that  he  had 
escaped  from  kidnappers.    Mr.  Gibson  attended  to 


XOO  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

his  arm,  and  sent  me  to  Dover  here  to  telegraph 
to  you,  sir,"  explained  Van  to  the  railroad  presi- 
dent. 

Mr.  Grant  was  so  glad  and  excited  he  could  not 
sit  still. 

"Take  me  to  him  at  once!"  he  cried.  "My  dear 
lad.  you  have  brought  happy  news  to  me." 

"I  don't  know  about  going  to  see  him,"  said 
Van.  "It  is  over  twenty  miles  away  in  the 
woods." 

"Allow  me  to  explain,  Mr.  Grant,"  said  Adair. 
"Between  here  and  Wilmer  is  a  wild,  wooded 
stretch  of  land  known  as  The  Barrens." 

"I  know  of  it,"  nodded  Mr.  Grant.  "The  Great 
Northern  once  surveyed  two  miles  into  the  section, 
but  abandoned  the  route  as  impracticable.  There 
are  only  about  twenty  houses  in  the  district,  and 
the  difficulties  of  clearing  and  grading  were  dis- 
couraging." 

"Well,"  said  Adair,  "it  appears  that  a  man 
named  Farwell  Gibson  secured  a  charter  to  build 
a  short  line  through  The  Barrens  from  Wilmer 
across  the  desolate  tract  to  connect  with  the  Mid- 
land Central." 

"I  heard  of  that,  too,"  nodded  the  railroad 
president." 

"This  Gibson  is  an  odd  genius.  He  has  been 
working   for  two  years  on  his  scheme,  terming 


THE  SHORT-LINE  RAILWAY  ioi 

the  road  the  Dover  &  Springfield  Short  Line. 
Just  half  way  across  The  Barrens  he  has  a  house, 
which  he  calls  'headquarters.'  He  is  an  erratic 
hermit,  and  adopted  this  boy  here,  Van  Sherwin, 
who  has  been  helping  him.  Every  day,  the  law 
requires,  he  must  do  some  grading  work  on  the 
prospective  railroad  line.  This  he  has  done,  and 
you  would  be  surprised  to  know  the  progress  they 
have  made." 

''Especially  lately,"  said  Van,  with  sparkling 
eyes.  "Even  you,  Ralph,  would  be  astonished. 
Mrs.  Gibson  got  some  money  recently — five 
thousand  dollars  from  old  Gasper  Farrington — 
and  we  have  hired  a  lot  of  men.  Oh,  that  railroad 
is  going  through,  and  don't  you  forget  it." 

"YVe  realized  our  mistake  after  this  Gibson  got 
hold  of  the  franchise,"  said  Mr.  Grant.  "Once 
the  road  is  built,  it  practically  dominates  passen- 
ger and  freight  business  north  and  south." 

"That  is  right,"  said  Van,  "for  it  becomes  a 
bee-line,  saving  twenty  to  thirty  miles  distance, 
besides  opening  up  a  new  district.  Well,  sir,  your 
nephew  is  now  at  our  headquarters.  To  reach 
the  place  you  will  have  to  get  a  very  heavy  wagon 
and  go  pretty  slow  and  sure,  for  there  are  no 
roads." 

"I  must  go  at  all  hazards,"  cried  the  railroad 
president  insistently,  "and  you,  my  friends,  must 


102  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

accompany  me,"  he  added  to  Adair  and  Ralph, 
"Why,  those  villains  from  whom  my  nephew 
escaped  may  undertake  to  recapture  him." 

A  little  later  the  party,  in  charge  of  a  sturdy 
fellow  driving  a  strong  team  of  horses  attached 
to  a  heavy  wagon,  started  out  under  the  direction 
of  Van  Sherwin. 

The  district  was  a  wild  jungle,  interspersed 
with  sweeps  of  hill  and  dales,  and  numerous 
creeks.  Finally  they  reached  a  hill  surmounted 
by  a  dense  grove  of  trees.  A  road  led  up  here  to 
a  rambling  log  house. 

Here  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  hill  a  ten- 
foot  avenue  was  visible,  neat  and  clean.  The 
brush  had  been  cleared  away,  the  ground  leveled, 
here  and  there  some  rudely  cut  ties  set  in  place, 
and  for  an  extended  stretch  there  was  a  present- 
able graded  roadbed. 

As  they  drove  up  to  the  cabin  the  railroad  presi- 
dent almost  forgot  his  nephew  from  interest  in  his 
surroundings.  Across  the  front  of  the  building 
was  a  sign  reading:  "Headquarters  of  the  Dover 
&  Springfield  Short  Line  Railroad."'  To  the 
south  there  was  a  singular  sight  presented.  Some 
twenty  men  and  boys  were  working  on  a  roadbed, 
which  had  been  cut  for  over  two  miles.  A  tele- 
graph wire  ran  from  the  building  over  the  tops 
of  trees,  and  Ralph  was  fairly  astonished  at  the 


THE  SHORT-LINE  RAILWAY  103 

progress  made  since  he  had  first  visited  Farwell 
Gibson  in  this  place. 

''Come  in,"  said  Van,  as  Mr.  Grant  aljghted 
from  the  wagon. 

"Well,  this  is  decidedly  a  railroady  place,"  ob- 
served the  president  of  the  Great  Northern  with  a 
faint  smile. 

One  half  of  the  rambling  place  was  a  depot  and 
railway  offices  combined.  There  were  benches  for 
passengers.  In  one  corner  was  a  partitioned  off 
space,  labeled:  "President's  Office."  On  the  wall 
hung  a  bunch  of  blank  baggage  checks,  and  there 
was  a  chart  of  a  zigzag  railway  line,  indicating 
bridges,  water  tanks  and  switch  towers. 

"Mr.  Gibson,"  called  out  Van  to  a  man  seated 
at  a  desk,  "this  is  Mr.  Grant,  the  president  of  the 
Great  Northern." 

"Eh?  what!  My  dear  sir,  I  am  glad  to  see 
you,"  said  the  eccentric  hermit.  "You  came  about 
your  nephew,  I  presume  ?  Take  the  gentleman  to 
his  room,  Van,"  directed  Farwell.  "I  am  some- 
thing of  a  doctor  and  he  is  resting  quite  comfort- 
ably." 

Mr.  Gibson  greeted  Ralph  very  cordially.  When 
\ran  returned,  he  insisted  on  the  young  fireman 
inspecting  the  work  on  the  railroad. 

"Does  that  look  like  business  ?"  he  inquired,  as 


104  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

they  proceeded  down  the  roadbed.     "We  have  ten 
men  and  eight  boys  working  for  us." 

"Eight  boys — where  did  they  come  from?"  in- 
quired Ralph. 

"An  orphan  asylum  burned  down  and  we  en 
gaged  to  care  for  them."  replied  Van. 

"But  what  are  they  doing  in  those  trees?" 

"Stringing  a  telegraph  wire.  We  expect  within 
a  month  to  have  the  telegraph  through  to  Spring- 
field, and  later  to  Dover." 

"Why,  Van,"  said  Ralph,  "it  seems  incredible, 
the  progress  you  have  made." 

"That  five  thousand  dollars  we  made  old  Far- 
rington  pay  Mrs.  Gibson  was  a  great  help,"  re- 
plied Win.  "We  have  quite  a  construction  crew 
here  now.  I  help  Mrs.  Gibson  do  the  cooking, 
and  we  get  on  famously." 

Mr.  Grant  was  with  his  nephew  for  over  an 
hour.  Then  Ralph  was  sent  for,  and  Trevor 
welcomed  him  with  a  glad  smile.  The  young  man 
described  how  he  had  been  taken  to  a  lonely  build- 
ing in  the  woods,  how  he  had  escaped  from  his 
enemies,  breaking  his  arm  in  a  runaway  flight,  and 
telling  Ralph  that  he  intended  to  remain  where  he 
was  for  a  month,  to  which  his  uncle  had  agreed. 

"Confidentially,  Fairbanks."  he  said,  "I  have 
taken  a  great  interest  in  this  Short  Cut  Railroad 


THE  SHORT -LINE  RAILWAY  105 

scheme,  and  as  soon  as  I  am  well  I  am  coming  to 
see  you  at  Stanley  Junction." 

"Regarding  this  railroad?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Exactly,"  responded  Trevor.  "I  see  a  great 
future  in  it.  I  shall  not  go  to  Europe.  There 
is  a  practical  business  chance  here,  and  I  intend 
to  help  Mr.  Gibson  get  the  enterprise  through." 

"It  will  take  a  lot  of  money,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"Yes,"  assented  Trevor,  "and  I  know  how  to 
raise  it.  In  fact,  I  have  almost  agreed  to  market 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  bonds  of 
the  Dover  &  Spring-field  Short  Line  Railroad,  and 
[  want  you  to  help  me  do 


CHAPTER  XIV 

A  RAILROAD  STRIKE 

"It's  a  bad  outlook,  lad,"  said  old  John 
Griscom. 

The  veteran  engineer  was  serious  and  anxious 
as  he  pronounced  the  words.  He  and  Ralph  were 
proceeding  down  the  tracks  beyond  the  round- 
house, just  returned  from  their  regular  run  from 
the  city. 

"It's  a  strike,  is  it?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Worse  than  a  strike,"  replied  Griscom.  "The 
railroad  men's  union  is  in  a  squabble  among  them- 
selves and  a  fight  is  on.  That  means  trouble  and 
damage  all  around." 

It  was  two  weeks  after  the  kidnapping  of  young 
Trevor,  and  affairs  had  subsided  to  regular 
routine  for  the  engineer  and  fireman  of  the  Lim- 
ited Mail.  The  president  of  the  Great  Northern 
had  sent  a  check  for  one  hundred  dollars  to  Ralph, 
which  he  divided  with  Griscom,  both  making  up 
twenty-five  dollars  for  Van  Sherwin.  From  the 
actions  of  their  superiors  they  knew  that  their 
106 


A  RAILROAD  STRIKE 


107 


feeing  in  close  touch  with  Mr.  Grant  had  helped 
them  considerably,  and  both  felt  secure  and  con- 
tented in  their  positions,  when  a  new  disturbing 
element  appeared. 

For  several  days  there  had  been  trouble  on  both 
the  Great  Northern  and  the  Midland  Central.  As 
Ralph  understood  it,  the  discharge  of  an  irrespon- 
sible engineer  on  the  latter  line  of  railroad  had 
led  to  a  demand  for  his  reinstatement.  This  the 
railway  officials  refused.  A  strike  was  at  once 
ordered. 

Two  days  later  a  man  named  Delmay,  a  strike 
agent,  came  to  Stanley  Junction.  He  demanded 
that  the  men  on  the  Great  Northern  engage  in  a 
sympathetic  strike  until  the  other  road  was 
brought  to  terms.  The  older,  wiser  hands  laughed 
at  him.  Jim  Evans  had  returned  to  Stanley 
Junction,  and  at  once  joined  in  a  movement  to 
disrupt  the  local  union  by  favoring  the  strike  in 
question. 

Evans  had  dene  a  good  deal  of  swag'gering  and 
threatening  around  the  roundhouse  that  •  day, 
Ralph  had  just  learned,  and  had  intimidated  some 
of  the  new  hands  into  joining  in  the  strike  move- 
ment. He  had  left  word  that,  as  men  came  in 
from  their  runs,  they  were  to  report  at  a  hall 
where  the  strikers  met  and  announce  which  side 
of  the  contest  thev  favored. 


I08  RALPH  OX  THE  EXCIXE 

"Here  we  are,  lad,"  said  the  veteran  engineer, 
as  they  started  up  the  stairs  of  a  building  on  Rail- 
road Street.  "Don't  look  very  business-like, 
those  pails  of  beer  going  into  that  hall  yonder  and 
that  cloud  of  tobacco  smoke,  f  wouldn't  stir  a 
foot,  only  it's  quite  regular  according  to  union 
rules  to  call  and  report  in  a  matter  like  this." 

"What  are  ,uu  going  to  do,  Mr.  Grisconi?" 
asked  Ralph. 

"Short  and  sweet,  give  my  sentiments  and  leave* 
these  loafers  to  fight  it  out  among  themselves." 

"Include  mine,"  said  Ralph.  "I  do  not  under- 
stand these  strike  complications  and  I  know  you 
do,  so  I  shall  follow  your  guidance." 

When  they  entered  the  hall  they  found  a  noisy 
crowd,  smoking,  playing  cards  and  lounging 
about.  On  a  platform  sat  Jim  Evans,  looking 
profoundly  important.  He  sat  at  a  table  with  a 
heip  of  papers  before  him.  Griscom  approached 
him,  Ralph  by  his  side. 

"Who's  in  charge  here?"  demanded  the  old 
engineer  gruffly. 

"I  am,"  announced  Evans,  in  a  somewhat  un- 
steady tone.     "Head  of  the  movement." 

"That  so?"  muttered  Griscom.  "Movement 
can't  amount  to  much,  then.  Now  then.  Tim 
Evans,  just  one  word.  We  came  here  out  of 
rciTtesv  to  the  union.     We  are  members  in  good 


A  RAILROAD  STRIKE  109 

standing,  and  we  represent  the  majority.  At  the 
meeting  last  night  we  voted  you  out  as  seceders. 
I  am  authorized  to  inform  you  that  from  now  on 
no  attention  whatever  will  be  paid  to  your  crowd 
here." 

''Is  that  so?"  sneered  Evans.  "I  reckon  we'll 
attract  some  attention  when  we  get  in  action.  We 
have  started  our  own  union.  We  are  going  to 
break  up  the  old  one.  Whoever  comes  in  now  to 
lrslp  us  holds  his  job.  Wnoever  don't,  will 
get  downed  somewhere  along  the  line,  and  don't 
you  forget  it." 

"Being  in  the  wrong,"  piedicted  Griscom 
steadily,  "you  won't  succeed." 

"Will  you  sign  the  roll?" 

"No." ' 

"Nor  Fairbanks?" 

'Let  the  lad  speak  for  himself,"  said  Griscom. 

"I  know  little  about  these  complications,  Mr. 
Evans,"  said  Ralph.  "I  pay  my  dues,  and  we  are 
upheld  in  our  positions  by  the  central  union.  In 
the  present  instance  I  stand  by  the  regular  men." 

Evans  angrily  picked  up  a  sheet  of  paper.  He 
scribbled  upon  it  hastily. 

"Know  what  that  means?"  he  demanded. 

"We  don't,  and  are  not  at  all  anxious  to  know," 
retorted  Griscom,  turning  to  leave  the  hall. 

"It  means  that  you  are  blacklisted!"  shouted 


no  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

Evans,  rising  to  his  feet.  "As  to  you,  Fairbanks, 
I  owe  you  one,  and  the  time  has  come  when  I  am 
in  power.  Think  twice — join  us,  or  it  will  be 
the  worse  for  you." 

''Come  on,  lad."  directed  Griscom. 

"Men,"  roared  Evans  to  his  mob  of  friends, 
"those  two  are  on  the  black  list.  Notice  them 
particularly,  and  hit  hard  when  you  strike.'' 

Ralph  went  home  somewhat  disturbed  by  the 
episode,  but  not  at  all  alarmed.  He  knew  that 
such  complications  were  frequent  among  the 
unions.  His  mother,  however,  was  quite  worried 
over  the  affair. 

"That  fellow  Evans  is  a  bad  man,  and  has  a 
personal  hatred  for  you,  Ralph,"  she  said.  "Be- 
sides that,  as  we  know,  he  has  been  incited  to 
make  you  trouble  by  Mr.  Farrington.  Be  care- 
ful of  yourself,  my  son,  for  I  fear  he  may  try  to 
&o  you  some  mischief." 

"I  can  only  go  on  in  the  clear  path  of  duty," 
said  Ralph  sturdily. 

The  next  morning  the  roundhouse  was  in  quite 
a  tumult.  Its  vicinity  was  picketed  by  the  strik- 
ers. Ralph  entered  the  place  to  find  Tim  Forgan, 
the  foreman,  in  a  state  of  great  excitement  and 
worry.  There  were  not  men  enough  for  the 
regular  runs. 

"Take  out  your  regular  train,"  he  said  to  Gris* 


A  RAILROAD  STRIKE  m 

com,  "but  I  believe  it  will  be  annulled  and  new 
orders  issued  at  the  city  end  of  the  line.  We're  in 
for  trouble,  I  can  tell  you.  The  strikers  make 
some  pretty  bad  threats,  and  you  want  to  watch 
every  foot  of  the  route  until  this  strike  is  settled 
one  way  or  the  other." 

"There  is  no  other  way  except  to  oppose  these 
loafers  boldly,"  pronounced  Griscom.  "The 
union  has  expelled  them,  and  they  are  on  the 
basis  of  rioters." 

"Well,  the  railroad  company  will  make  some 
move  to  protect  its  property,"  said  Forgan.  "They 
must  give  us  more  men,  though,  or  we  will  have 
to  annul  half  the  daily  trains." 

The  Limited  Mail  got  out  of  the  yards  with 
^ome  difficulty.  They  had  a  spiked  switch  to  look 
out  for,  and  a  missile  from  an  old  building 
smashed  the  headlight  glass.  At  the  limits  a  man 
tossed  a  folded  paper  into  the  locomotive  cab.  It 
was  a  poor  scrawl  containing  direful  threats  to 
anyone  opposing  the  new  union. 

When  they  reached  the  terminus  Griscom  found 
a  committee  of  men  from  the  central  union  wait- 
ing for  him.  They  held  a  consultation.  Then 
a  messenger  from  the  railway  office  came  after 
him.  It  was  a  busy  day  for  the  veteran  rail- 
roader. 

"I  don't  like  the  looks  of  things,"  he  said  to 


112  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

Ralph,  as  they  started  on  the  homeward  run. 
"The  central  union  backs  us,  and  the  company  is 
bound  to  fight  the  strikers  to  a  finish.  A  lot  of 
men  are  going  down  to  take  the  places  of  the 
strikers.  We  are  carrying  them  on  this  train,  and 
serious  trouble  will  begin  as  soon  as  the  new 
men  go  to  work." 

Two  days  later  the  freight  traffic  of  the  Great 
Northern  was  practically  tied  up.  The  situation 
had  become  positively  alarming.  The  strikers  had 
gathered  strength  of  numbers  through  intimida- 
tion, and  the  coming  of  new  workers  had  aroused 
animosity. 

Car  loads  of  perishable  fruits  and  the  like  were 
rotting  in  the  yards,  men  were  beaten,  engines 
crippled,  orders  mixed  up,  crown  sheets  burned 
and  cars  smashed  on  open  switches. 

The  Limited  Mail  was  annulled  as  a  regular 
train,  and  Griscom  and  Ralph  and  all  other  pas- 
senger employes  placed  on  the  irregular  list. 
One  day  a  man  would  take  out  the  Mail,  the  next 
day  he  would  be  running  freight  empties  to  the 
city. 

Some  cars  on  siding  along  the  route  had  been 
set  on  fire,  and  Griscom  and  Ralph  were  ordered 
down  the  line  to  pick  up  freight  strays  and  haul 
them  to  the  yards  at  Dover.  It  proved  an  un- 
pleasant task.     Strikers  annoyed  them  in  every 


A  RAILROAD  STRIKE 


"3 


way  possible.  Finally  with  a  mixed  train  of 
about  twenty  cars  they  arrived  at  Afton,  and  took 
the  sidings  to  gather  in  half-a-dozen  gondolas. 

The  spot  was  remote  from  the  main  tracks. 
Ralph  had  to  do  the  coupling.  He  had  run  back, 
bound  on  this  duty  in  the  present  instance,  when, 
just  as  he  readied  the  end  of  their  train,  three 
ill-appearing  men  stepped  into  view  from  a  dis- 
mantled switch  shanty. 

"Drop  your  signaling,"  spoke  one  of  the  three, 
advancing  menacingly  towards  Ralph. 

"Hardly,"  responded  Ralph  calmly,  "seeing  w: 
want  these  cars." 

"You  don't  take  them,"  retorted  the  man,  plac- 
ing himself  between  the  halted  train  and  the  cars 
beyond. 

Ralph  calmly  gave  the  signal  to  the  engine. 
The  train  backed.  The  man  had  to  jump  quickly 
out  of  the  way.  Ralph  set  the  coupling  pin,  gave 
a  quick  signal  and  sprang  into  the  first  empty  car. 
The  man  who  had  spoken  to  him  followed  him 
through  the  opposite  open  doorway. 

"Fetch  him  out!"  cried  his  two  companions, 
running  along  the  side  of  the  car.  ''Maul  him, 
and  send  him  back  to  Stanley  Junction  as  a  lesson 
to  the  others." 

The  man  attempted  to  seize  Ralph  and  the 
latter   resisted.     The   fellow   called   to    his  com- 


114  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

panions,  and  they  sprang  into  the  car.  Ralph, 
trying  to  reach  the  doorway  to  leap  out,  was" 
tripped  up,  and  he  fell  quite  heavily. 

"Toss  him  out!"  growled  his  first  assailant,  hut 
Ralph  recovered  himself,  managed  to  gain  his 
feet,  and  leaped  to  the  ground  outside. 

The  three  men  followed.  Ralph  ran  behind  a 
pile  of  railroad  ties.  His  pursuers  gained  upon 
him.  He  stumbled,  fell  Hat,  and  they  pounced 
upon  him. 

''Hold  on  there,"  suddenly  spoke  a  new  voice. 
"Get  back  and  stay  back,  or  I'll  know  the  reason 
why." 

Something  whizzed  through  the  air.  It  was  a 
heavy  cudgel.  Whack!  whack!  whack!  the  three 
fellows  retreated  as  their  shoulders  were  assailed 
good  and  hard. 

Ralph  in  some  surprise  regarded  his  new 
friend.  He  was  a  queer-looking  old  man,  carry- 
ing a  formidable  cudgel,  and  this  he  now  bran- 
dished recklessly  in  the  faces  of  his  adversaries, 
beating  them  back  step  by  step. 

"Now,  you  mind  your  own  business,"  he 
warned  the  men.  "Pitching  onto  a  boy — three 
big  loafers  that  you  are !" 

The  men  were  cowards  and  sneaked  sullenly 
away.     Ralph's  rescuer  went  back  to  the  pile  of 


A  RAILROAD  STRIKE  115 

ties  and  took  up  a  little  open  memorandum  book 
lying  there. 

Ralph  noticed  that  its  pages  bore  a  list  of  num- 
bers, as  of  cars. 

"I  am  very  grateful  to  you,"  said  the  young 
fireman. 

"That's  all  right,"  responded  the  stranger,  and 
ran  his  eye  over  the  cars  as  they  passed  by  as  if 
looking  at  their  numbers.  Ralph  concluded  that 
he  had  some  business  on  the  spot. 

"Are  you  in  the  service  of  the  railroad?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes,"  nodded  the  man — "of  many  railroads. 
I  am  a  professional  car  finder." 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  RUNAWAY  TRAINS 

Ralph  and  his  companion  followed  the  train 
till  it  left  the  siding,  when  the  young  fireman  set 
the  switch  and  they  stood  by  the  side  of  the  track 
until  the  locomotive  backed  down  to  whert  they 
were. 

"Going  into  Dover?"  inquired  the  man  who  had 
rendered  Ralph  such  signal  service. 

"Yes,"  nodded  Griscom,  looking  the  questioner 
over  suspiciously,  as  was  his  custom  with  ah 
strangers  recently  since  the  strike  began. 

"Give  me  a  lift,  will  you?  I  am  through  with 
my  work  here,"  observed  the  man.  "My  name  is 
Drury.     I  am  a  car  finder." 

"Indeed?"  said  the  old  engineer  with  some  in- 
terest of  manner.  "I've  heard  of  you  fellows. 
Often  thought  I'd  like  the  job." 

"You  wouldn't,  if  you  knew  its  troubles  and 
difficulties,"  asserted  Drury  with  a  laugh,  as  he 
climbed  into  the  tender.  "You  think  it's  just 
riding  around  and  asking  a  few  questions.    Why, 

116 


THE  RUNAWAY  TRAIN 


117 


say,  I  have  spent  a  whole  month  tracing  down 
two  strays  alone." 

"That  so?"  said  Griscom. 

"Yes,  it  is  true.  You  see,  cars  get  on  a  line 
shy  of  them,  and  they  keep  them  purposely.  Then, 
again,  cars  are  lost  in  wrecks,  burned  up,  or 
thrown  on  a  siding  and  neglected.  You  would  be 
surprised  to  know  how  many  cars  disappear  and 
are  never  heard  of  again." 

This  was  a  new  phase  in  railroad  life  to  Ralph, 
and  he  was  greatly  interested.  He  plied  the  man 
with  questions,  and  gained  a  good  deal  of  in- 
formation from  him. 

"Switch  off  here,  Fairbanks,"  ordered  Griscom, 
as  they  neared  a  siding. 

"Is  your  name  Fairbanks?"  asked  the  carfinder 
of  Ralph. 

"It  is." 

"Heard  of  you,"  said  Drury,  glancing  keenly  at 
the  young  fireman.  "It  was  down  at  Millviile, 
last  week.  They  seem  to  think  a  good  deal  of 
you,  the  railroad  men  there." 

"I  hope  I  deserve  it,"  said  Ralph  modestly. 

"Took  a  meal  at  a  restaurant  kept  by  a  friend 
of  yours,"  continued  the  carfinder. 

"You  mean  Limpy  Joe?" 

"Exactly.     Original  little  fellow — spry,  handy 


Il8  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

and  accommodating.  Met  another  genius  there 
—Dallas." 

"Zeph?  Yes,"  said  Ralph.  "He  has  got  lots 
to  learn,  but  he  has  the  making  of  a  man  in  him." 

"He  has.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  my 
position.  Wanted  me  to  hire  him  right  away. 
Said  he  knew  he  could  find  any  car  that  was  ever 
lost.  I  gave  him  a  job,"  and  Drury  smiled 
queerly. 

"What  kind  of  a  job?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Oh,  you  ask  him  when  you  see  him,"  said 
Drury  mysteriously.  "I  promised  to  keep  it  a 
secret,"  and  he  smiled  again.  "Good-bye,  I  leave 
you  here." 

"Now  then,"  said  Griscom  to  his  young  assist- 
ant, "orders  are  to  run  to  Ridgeton  and  start  out 
in  the  morning  picking  up  strays  between  there 
and  Stanley  Junction." 

When  they  got  to  Ridgeton,  it  had  begun  to 
rain.  It  was  a  lonely  station  with  a  telegraph 
operator,  and  a  few  houses  quite  a  distance  away. 
The  operator  was  not  on  duty  nights  since  the 
strike.  The  engine  was  sidetracked.  They  got 
a  meal  at  the  nearest  house,  and  the  operator  gave 
them  the  key  to  the  depot,  where  he  said  they 
could  sleep  all  night  on  the  benches.  This  Gris- 
com insisted  on  doing,  in  order  that  they  might 
keep  an  eye  on  the  locomotive. 


THE  RUNAWAY  TRAIN 


119 


They  sat  up  until  about  nine  o'clock.  Then, 
tired  out  with  a  hard  day's  work,  both  soon  sank 
into  profound  sleep.  It  was  some  time  later  when 
both,  always  vigilant  and  easily  aroused,  awoke 
together. 

"Oh,"  said  the  old  engineer  drowsily,  "only  the 
ticker." 

"Yes,  some  one  is  telegraphing,"  answered 
Ralph,  "but  it  is  a  hurry  call." 

"Understand  the  code,  do  you?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph.  "Quiet,  please,  for  a 
moment.  Mr.  Griscom,  this  is  urgent,"  and  Ralph 
arose  and  hurried  to  the  next  room,  where  the 
instrument  was  located. 

He  listened  to  the  sharp  ticking  of  the  little 
machine.  There  was  the  double-hurry  call.  Then 
came  some  sharp,  nervous  clicks. 

"R-u-n-a-w-a-y,"  he  spelled  out. 

"What's  that  ?"  cried  Griscom,  springing  to  his 
feet. 

"J-u-s-t  p-a-s-s-e-d  Wi-1-m-e-r,  s  -  i  -  x 
f-r-e-i-g-h-t  c-a-r-s.  S-t-o-p  t-h-e-m  a-t  R-i-d-g-e- 
t-o-n,  o-r  t-h-e-y  w-i-1-1  m-e-e-t  N-o.  f-o-r-t-y- 
e-i-g-h-t." 

Ralph  looked  up  excitedly.  Griscom  stood  by 
his  side.    His  eyes  were  wide  awake  enough  now. 

"Repeat  that  message — quick,  lad!"  he  said  in 
a  suppressed  tone.     "Can  you  signal  for  repeat?  ' 


120  RALPH  OX  THE  EXG1XE 

Ralph  did  so,  once  more  spelling  out  the  mes- 
sage as  it  came  over  the  wire. 

"No  48?"  spoke  Griscom  rapidly.  "That  is  the 
special  passenger  they  have  been  sending  out  from 
Stanley  Junction  since  the  strike.  What  is  the 
next  station  north?  Act!  Wire  north  to  stop  the 
train." 

Ralph  got  the  next  station  with  some  difficulty. 
A  depressing  reply  came.  Xo.  48  had  passed 
that  point. 

"Then  she's  somewhere  on  the  thirty-mile 
stretch  between  there  and  here,"  said  Griscom. 
"Lad,  it  is  quick  action — wind  blowing  a  hurri- 
cane, and  those  freights  thundering  down  a  one 
per  cent,  grade.  Bring  the  lantern.  Don't  lose  a 
moment.     Hurry !" 

Ralph  took  the  lead,  and  they  rushed  for  their 
locomotive.  The  young  fireman  got  a  red  lantern 
and  ran  down  the  track,  set  the  light,  and  was 
back  to  the  engine  quickly. 

"This  is  bad.  very  bad."  said  Griscom.  "Xoth« 
ing  but  this  siding,  ending  at  a  big  ravine,  the 
only  track  besides  the  main.  The  runaway  must 
have  a  fearful  momentum  on  that  grade.  What 
can  we  do?" 

Ralph  tested  the  valves.  He  found  sufficient 
steam  on  to  run  the  engine. 


THE  RUNAWAY  TRAIN  I2i 

"I  can  suggest  only  one  thing,  Mr.  Griscom," 
he  said. 

"Out  with  it,  lad,  there  is  not  a  moment  to 
lose,"  hurriedly  directed  the  old  engineer. 

"Get  onto  the  main,  back  down  north,  set  the 
switch  here  to  turn  the  runaways  onto  the  siding." 

"But  suppose  No.  48  gets  here  first?" 

"Then  we  must  take  the  risk,  start  south  till 
she  reaches  the  danger  signals,  and  sacrifice  our 
engine,  that  is  all,"  said  Ralph  plainly. 

It  was  a  moment  of  intense  importance  and 
strain.  In  any  event,  unless  the  unexpected  hap- 
pened, No.  48  or  their  own  locomotive  would  be 
destroyed.  On  the  coming  passenger  were  men, 
women  and  children. 

"Duty,  lad,"  said  Griscom,  in  a  kind  of  des- 
perate gasp.  "We  must  not  hesitate.  Pile  in  the 
black  diamonds  and  hope  for  the  best.  If  we  can 
reach  the  creek  before  the  runaways,  we  can 
switch  them  onto  a  spur.  It  means  a  smash  into 
the  freights  there.  But  anything  to  save  the 
precious  lives  aboard  the  night  passenger  from 
Stanley  Junction." 

They  ran  on  slowly,  then,  gaining  speed,  got  a 
full  head  of  steam  on  the  cylinders.  At  a  curve 
the  bridge  lights  came  into  view. 

"What  do  you  see?"  demanded  Griscom,  his 
hand  trembling  on  the  throttle,  wide  open  now. 


122  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

"She's  coming,"  cried  Ralph.  "I  caught  the 
glint  of  the  bridge  lights.  She's  not  six  hundred 
yards  away." 

It  was  a  desperate  situation  now.  Both  engineer 
and  fireman  realized  this.  The  backward  swing 
was  caught,  and  down  the  course  they  had  just 
come  their  locomotive  sped  with  frightful  velocity. 

It  was  a  mad  race,  but  they  had  the  advantage. 
One  mile,  two  miles,  three  miles,  the  depot,  down 
the  main,  and  before  the  engine  had  stopped, 
Ralph  was  on  the  ground.  He  ran  to  the  switch, 
set  it,  and  then  both  listened,  watched  and  waited. 

"There  are  the  runaways,"  said  Ralph. 

Yes,  there  they  were,  speeding  like  phantoms 
over  the  rain-glistening  steel.  Nearer  and  nearer 
they  came,  passed  the  siding,  struck  the  switch, 
ran  its  length,  and  then  a  crash — and  the  night 
passenger  from  Stanley  Junction  was  saved! 

"I  don't  know  what  the  damage  will  be,"  mut- 
tered Griscom  in  a  long-drawn  breath  of  relief, 
"but  we  have  done  our  duty  as  we  saw  it." 

They  got  back  on  the  siding  and  removed  the 
red  lights  before  No.  48  arrived.  The  night 
passenger  sped  tranquilly  by,  her  train  crew  little 
dreaming  of  the  peril  they  had  escaped. 

The  next  afternoon,  when  they  arrived  at  Stan- 
ley Junction,  the  assistant  superintendent  of  the 
road  highly  commended  their  action  in  regard  to 
the  runaway  freights. 


THE  RUNAWAY  TRAIN 


123 


Ralph  went  home  tired  out  from  strain  of 
work  and  excitement.  As  he  neared  the  house 
he  noticed  a  wagon  in  the  yard  and  a  horse  brows- 
ing beside  it. 

"Why,"  he  said,  "that  rig  belongs  to  Limpy 
Joe." 

Ralph  hurried  into  the  house.  He  found  both 
Joe  and  Zeph  in  the  sitting  room.  They  were 
conversing  with  his  mother,  with  whom  the 
cripple  boy  had  always  been  a  great  favorite. 

"Well,  fellows,  I  am  glad  to  see  you,"  said 
Ralph  heartily,  "but  what  brought  you  here?" 

"Plainly,"    replied   Limpy  Joe — "Ike   Slump." 

"Why,  what  do  you  mean?"  inquired  the  young 
fireman. 

"I  mean  that  we  have  been  burned  out,"  said 
Joe,  "and  Ike  Slump  did  it." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

CAR   NO.   9I76 

"Burned  out!"  exclaimed  Ralph,  deeply  con- 
cerned. 

"Yes,"  nodded  Joe.  a  trifle  dolefully.     "Labor* 
of  years   in  ashes — Limpy  Joe's   Railroad   Res 
taurant  a  thing  of  the  past." 

"How  did  it  happen?" 

"Spite  work.  Three  nights  ago,  late  in  tlu 
evening,  Ike  Slump  appeared  at  the  restaurant 
and  demanded  a  free  meal.  I  gave  it  to  him. 
Then  he  demanded  some  money,  and  I  refused  it. 
He  became  bold  and  ugly,  and  told  us  how  his 
crowd  had  it  in  for  us.  that  they  knew  I  had  some 
hand  in  helping  you  get  that  stolen  plunder,  and 
would  fix  us  sooner  or  later.  He  advised  me  to 
buy  them  off.  I  sent  him  away.  Last  night  we 
discovered  the  place  on  fire,  and  it  was  burned  to 
the  ground." 

Ralph  was  deeply  distressed  «>ver  his  friend's 
misfortune.     The  lame  fellow,  however,  was  un- 

124. 


CAR  NO.  9U6  125 

daunted.  He  deplored  his  loss,  but  he  was  by  no 
means  discouraged. 

"Thankful  to  have  the  horse  and  wagon  left," 
he  said.  "I  can  always  earn  a  living  with  that. 
Besides  that,  we  saw  Van  Sherwin  the  other  day. 
He  is  getting  on  finely,  and  I  think  we  could  get 
work  on  the  Short  Line  Railroad.  For  the  pres- 
ent, though,  I  am  going  to  stay  at  Stanley  Junc- 
tion. I  have  a  dozen  plans  for  getting  a  little 
money  together.  Will  you  try  us  as  boarders  for 
a  week  or  two,  Ralph?" 

"I  answered  that  question  a  few  minutes  ago/' 
reminded  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  "and  if  you  two  will 
sleep  in  the  same  room,  you  will  cause  no  in- 
convenience whatever." 

"And  you,  Zeph?"  said  Ralph,  turning  to  the 
farmer  boy. 

Zeph  had  been  strangely  silent.  He  appeared 
to  be  trying  to  look  very  dignified  and  much  ab- 
sorbed in  thought. 

"Oh,  me?"  he  said  now.  "Why,  I'm  already 
at  work.  Commence  to-night.  Call  boy  at  the 
roundhouse.  Old  one  is  with  the  strikers.  Mr. 
Forgan  engaged  me  this  afternoon." 

"Why,  that  is  fine,"  said  Ralph.  "A  start  in 
the  right  direction.  Look  out  for  the  strikers, 
though,  Zeph." 

"Don't  fret  about  me,"  advised  Zeph.     "I'm  a 


126  RALPH  ON  THE  ESCIXE 

fighter  when  aroused.  See,  here  is  my  list  to  call 
in  the  morning,"  and  he  showed  Ralph  a  slip  of 
paper  containing  about  a  dozen  names. 

Ralph  read  it  over,  and  after  a  meal  went  out 
with  Zeph  and  showed  him  the  location  of  the 
homes  of  those  named  in  the  list. 

"This  job  is  all  right,"  said  Zeph,  as  they  re- 
turned to  the  house,  "but  it  is  only  a  sort  of  side 
line  with  me." 

"Indeed?"  smiled  Ralph,  amused  at  the  off- 
hand, yet  self-important  manner  of  his  com- 
panion. 

"Oh,  yes." 

"How  is  that?" 

"Simply  want  to  get  into  the  service  so  as  to 
have  the  privilege  of  riding  around  on  engines 
when  I  want  to.  It  sort  of  introduces  me,  you 
see." 

"What  do  you  want  to  ride  around  on  engines 
for?"  asked  Ralph.  "You  can't  afford  to  waste 
your  time  that  way." 

"Waste  my  time?  waste  my  time?"  repeated 
Zeph.  "Huh,  guess  you  don't  know  what  you're 
talking  about!    I'm  on  the  trail  of  a  big  fortune." 

"You  don't  say  so." 

"I  do.  Ralph  Fairbanks,  I'll  let  you  into  the 
secret.  You've  been  a  good  friend  to  me,  and 
you  shall  help  me." 


CAR  NO.  9176  127 

"What  ridiculous  nonsense  are  you  talking, 
Zeph?" 

"You'll  see  whether  it's  nonsense  or  not  when 
some  clay  I  walk  in  on  you  with  a  fortune.  Now, 
this  is  on  the  dead  quiet,  Fairbanks?" 

"Oh,  sure,"  laughed  Ralph. 

"Very  well.  I  met  a  fellow  the  other  day,  who 
is  a  car  finder." 

"Mr.  Drury,  you  mean?"  asked  Ralph. 

"How  did  you  know  ?"  questioned  Zeph  in  sur- 
prise. 

"He  told  me  he  had  met  you,  and  agreed  with 
me  that  you  were  a  pretty  fair  kind  of  a  fellow." 

"Did  he  ?"  said  Zeph,  very  much  pleased  at  the 
double  compliment.  "Well,  I  got  interested  in 
his  business  and  he  finally  gave  me  a — a — well, 
a  job,  you  might  call  it." 

"Salary  big.  Zeph?" 

"No  salary  at  all,"  responded  Zeph.  "It's  a 
partnership  deal.  If  I  find  certain  property,  I 
am  to  have  a  big  reward  to  divide  with  him." 

"What  kind  of  property?" 

"Diamonds." 

"Oh,  going  digging  for  them  ?" 

"Don't  make  fun  of  me,  Fairbanks,"  said  Zeph 
in  a  slightly  offended  tone.  "This  is  a  fair  and 
square  business  proposition.  About  five  years  ago 
a  car  was  lost,  presumably  on  the  Great  Northern. 


128  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

At  least,  it  can  be  traced  no  farther  than  the 
terminus  of  the  Midland  Central,  where  it  was 
switched  onto  this  line  here.  There  all  trace  of  it 
was  lost." 

"Valuable  freight  aboard?'' 

"No,  on  the  contrary,  it  was  empty,  but,  all  the 
same,  between  sealed  boards  and  the  rough  ones 
a  pocketbook  containing  a  lot  of  valuable  dia- 
monds was  hidden." 

"Who  by?" 

"A  traveling  jewelry  salesman  named  Isaacs." 

"What  did  he  hide  it  there  for?" 

"He  had  to.  You  see,  he  was  on  another  rail- 
road line  and  crossing  some  tracks  when  some 
footpads  assaulted  him.  He  managed  to  escape 
and  got  into  the  empty  car  I  told  you  about. 
Then  he  heard  them  coming  to  search  for  him, 
and  hid  the  diamonds  in  a  break  of  the  boards  at 
one  side  of  the  car." 

"I  see." 

"They  dragged  him  out,  beat  him  into  insensi- 
bility and  stole  all  his  money.  He  woke  up  in  a 
hospital  a  month  later,  after  a  siege  of  fever.  The 
first  thing  he  thought  of  was  the  diamonds  and  the 
car.  He  had  taken  particular  pains  to  note  the 
number  of  the  car." 

"What  was  it,  may  I  ask?" 

"Confidentially?" 


CAR  NO.  9/76  129 

"Of  course." 

"It  belonged  to  the  Southern  Air  Line  Road, 
and  its  number  was  9176." 

"Why,  you  are  telling  a  very  interesting  story," 
declared  Ralph,  now  really  interested  in  the  same. 
"He  searched  for  the  car,  of  course?" 

"At  once.  He  telegraphed  everywhere ;  he  ad- 
vertised ;  he  employed  detectives.  It  was  no  use. 
During  the  month  of  his  illness,  car  No.  91 76  had 
disappeared." 

"That  looks  mysterious." 

"The  car  finder  says  not  at  all.  Such  things 
happen  frequently.  But  it  went  somewhere, 
didn't  it?  It  may  be  lying  on  some  old  siding, 
in  some  creek  after  a  wreck,  stolen  by  gravel  pit 
men,  or  in  service  still  on  some  line.  One  thing 
is  sure,  if  in  existence  still,  it  must  be  on  one  of 
four  railroad  lines,  and  the  Great  Northern  is 
one  of  those  roads." 

"What  do  you  propose  to  do?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Go  over  every  one  of  those  lines  carefully." 

"But  Mr.  Drury  has  done  that  already,  has  he 
not?" 

"What  of  it?  A  first  search  doesn't  always 
bring  results.  He  has  given  me  full  details  as  to 
the  car,  and,  according  to  the  records,  it  was  lost 
on  the  Great  Northern.  In  a  day  or  twe  I  am 
going  to  have  a  look  at  the  transfer  records  at 


130  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

Dover.  Then  I  am  going  to  look  up  the  trainmen 
who  probably  hauled  the  car.  Oh,  I  have  a  theory 
and  a  plan.  If  I  find  the  car  I  shall  be  almost 
rich." 

"Not  a  bad  prospect,  Zeph,"  said  Ralph,  "but 
if  I  were  you  I  would  stick  at  regular  work  and 
make  the  search  for  that  car  a  secondary  matter." 

"You'll  remember  it  and  help  me  out  if  you 
can?"  asked  Zeph. 

"Surely  I  will,"  and  Ralph  made  a  note  of  the 
number  of  the  car  in  his  memorandum  book. 

When  the  young  fireman  arose  the  next  morn- 
ing, he  found  Zeph  seated  on  the  front  porch 
lounging  back  in  an  easy  chair  and  his  face  all 
bandaged  up.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  stood  near  by,  re- 
garding her  guest  solicitously. 

"Why,  what  is  the  matter,  Zeph?"  inquired 
Ralph  in  profound  surprise. 

"Whipped  four  men,  that's  all,"  answered 
Zeph  with  a  smile  that  was  almost  ghastly,  for  his 
lips  were  all  cut  and  swollen  up,  one  eye  disfigured 
and  two  teeth  gone.  'I  went  on  r~y  rounds  this 
morning.  I  made  sure  to  wake  up  the  fellows  on 
call,  and  one  of  them  threatened  to  kill  me  if  I 
ever  came  to  his  door  again  with  that  'fog-horn 
holler'  of  mine,  as  he  called  it.  The  night  watch- 
man said  he'd  aiTcst  me  for  disturbing  the  peace. 
I    didn't    mind    that.      Then   I    ran    across    four 


CAR  NO.  9176  131 

strikers.  They  wanted  me  to  join  them.  I  re- 
fused, and — that's  all,  except  that  I'll  bet  they 
are  worse  off  than  I  am,  if  it  was  four  to  one." 

"Going  to  keep  right  on  at  your  job?"  inquire:7 
Ralph. 

"Am  I  ?"  cried  the  undaunted  Zeph.  "Well,  if 
anything  would  make  me  it  would  be  this  attack 
on  me.  Tell  you,  Fairbanks,  hot  times  are  com- 
ing. Forgan  was  on  duty  all  night,  and  he  told 
me  this  morning  to  advise  you  to  be  extra  cautious 
in  coming  to  work.  The  strikers  are  in  an  ugly 
mood,  and  they  are  going  to  make  a  bold  break 
to  smash  up  things  to-day,  they  threaten." 

"Yes,"  sighed  Ralph,  "affairs  must  come  to  a 
crisis  sooner  or  later,  I  fear.  Duty  is  plain, 
though.  I  shall  stick  to  Griscom,  and  Griscom 
insists  that  he  will  stick  to  the  road." 

Mrs.  Fairbanks  looked  anxious  and  frightened. 
Turning  to  enter  the  house,  the  young  fireman 
started  violently  and  his  mother  and  Zeph  uttered 
exclamations  of  excitement. 

A  terrific  explosion  had  rent  the  air.  Its  echoes 
rang  out  far  and  wide,  and  its  source  seemed  to  be 
the  railroad  depot. 

"Oh.  Ralph!"  what  does  that  mean?"  cried 
Mrs.  Fairbanks. 

"I  fear,"  said  Ralph  seriously,  "the  strikers  are 
rioting  and  the  trouble  has  begun. * 


CHAPTER  XVII 

UNDER  SEALED  ORDERS 

The  young  fireman  was  soon  headed  for  the 
railroad  yards.  A  good  many  people  were 
bound  hurriedly  in  the  same  direction,  for  the 
explosion  had  aroused  the  town. 

As  he  neared  the  place,  he  could  hear  consid- 
erable shouting.  He  came  to  the  tracks  at  a  point 
where  there  was  a  switch  shanty.  The  man  on 
duty  looked  worried  and  scared. 

"What  is  the  trouble?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"The  strikers  have  blown  up  a  freight  car  with 
dynamite,"  replied  the  flagman.  "They  have 
threatened  me,  old  and  feeble  as  I  am.  I'm  afraid 
I'll  have  to  lay  oft  till  this  trouble  is  over." 

In  the  distance  Ralph  saw  the  mere  skeleton  of 
a  freight  car.  It  was  in  flames,  and  a  number  of 
men  were  pushing  other  cars  from  its  vicinity  to 
prevent  them  from  catching  on  fire.  A  man 
tapped  him  on  the  shoulder.  Turning,  Ralph 
recognized  one  of  the  strikers. 

"See  here,   Fairbanks,"  he  said,   "I'm  of  the 

132 


UNDER  SEALED  ORDERS 


133 


decent  sort,  as  you  know,  but  I  think  our  position 
is  right." 

"Does  that  look  like  it?"  demanded  the  young 
fireman,  pointing  to  the  burning  car. 

"I'm  not  responsible  for  that,"  said  the  man, 
"and  I  can't  prevent  the  hot-headed  ones  from 
violence.  I  know  you  won't  join  us,  but  I'm  just 
friendly  enough  to  give  you  a  warning.  Don't  go 
on  duty  to-day." 

"I  certainly  shall,  if  I  am  needed,"  replied 
Ralph.  "Your  union  is  in  bad  hands,  and  can't 
last." 

The  man  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  Ralph 
passed  on  his  way.  A  piece  of  coal  came  whizzing 
through  the  air  a  few  minutes  later  from  the 
vicinity  of  a  crowd  of  loiterers.  It  knocked  off 
the  young  fireman's  cap.  He  picked  it  up  and 
walked  slowly  on. 

When  he  came  to  the  roundhouse,  he  found 
the  doors  shut.  Most  of  the  windows  in  the 
place  were  broken  in.  Several  target  rods  near 
by  lay  on  the  ground,  and  at  a  glance  Ralph  saw 
that  considerable  damage  had  been  wrought  dur- 
ing the  night. 

"There  must  be  a  crisis  soon,"  he  said,  and 
went  to  the  roundhouse  door.  Before  he  was  ad- 
mitted several  stones  rained  about  him,  thrown 
*Vom  behind  a  pile  of  ties.     Inside,  Ralph  found 


IJ4 


RALPH  O.V  THE  EXCLXE 


Griscom  and  several  others  among  the  older  en- 
gineers and  firemen.  All  hands  looked  serious, 
the  foreman  particularly  so. 

"Glad  you  came,"  said  Forgan.  "There's  bad 
trouble  brewing.  The  strike  has  reached  the 
danger  point.  We  can't  run  any  regulars  from 
the  depot  and  won't  try  to  to-day,  but  the  Limited 
Mail  must  go  to  terminus.  Griscom  is  ready  for 
the  run;  are  you?  The  regular  engineer  and  fire- 
man say  they  won't  risk  their  lives." 

"I  did  not  see  the  train  anywhere,"  observed 
Ralph. 

"There  is  to  be  no  regular  train,  only  one  postal 
and  one  express  car.  They  will  back  down  here 
in  half-an-hour  from  the  limits.  Here  is  a  wire 
for  you.     Came  early  this  morning." 

With  some  surprise  Ralph  read  a  brief  tele- 
gram. It  came  from  the  headquarters  of  the 
Great  Northern  in  the  city,  was  signed  by  the 
president  of  the  road,  and  read : 

"Come  to  my  office  immediately  on  reaching 
terminus." 

Ralph  showed  this  to  Griscom.  The  situation 
was  discussed  by  the  men  in  the  roundhouse,  and 
the  time  passed  by  until  a  sharp  whistle  announced 
the  arrival  of  the  Limited  Mail. 


UNDER  SEALED  ORDERS 


135 


A»  Griscom  and  Ralph  went  outside  to  relieve 
those  temporarily  in  charge  of  the  locomotive, 
they  were  pelted  from  several  points  with  pieces 
of  dirt,  iron  and  coal.  A  crowd  surged  up  to  the 
engine.  Then  a  startling  thing  occurred  that  dis- 
persed them  more  quickly  than  they  had  gathered. 

As  if  by  magic  there  appeared  on  the  platforms 
of  the  two  coaches  fully  a  dozen  guards  armed 
with  rifles.  The  train  now  proceeded  on  its  way 
without  molestation.  At  the  limits  the  guards 
left  it  to  protect  other  railroad  property. 

The  only  trouble  experienced  during  the  run 
was  between  Afton  and  Dover,  when  some  mis- 
siles were  thrown  and  two  switches  found  spiked. 
When  they  reached  the  city,  Ralph  tidied  up  and 
went  to  see  the  president  of  the  road. 

Mr.  Grant  received  him  with  a  pleasant  smile, 
beckoned  him  to  a  comfortable  seat,  and,  closing 
the  door  of  his  private  office,  said : 

"Fairbanks,  we  think  a  good  deal  of  you,  and 
I  know  you  deserve  that  favorable  opinion.  There 
are  many  trusted  and  reliable  men  in  our  service, 
but  they  do  not  think  as  quickly  as  you  do.  You 
are  familiar  with  people  at  Stanley  Junction,  and 
on  that  account  I  wish  you  to  do  an  important 
service  for  us." 

"I  shall  be  pleased  to."  said  Ralph. 

"It  is  this :    Some  one  is  working  against  us, 


136  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

some  one  is  undermining  us.  We  now  believe 
that  the  sympathetic  strike,  as  it  is  called,  is  more 
the  result  of  some  plot  than  a  genuine  sentiment 
of  unionism.  A  man  named  Delmay,  from  the 
Midland  Central,  and  a  man  named  Evans,  a 
discharged  employe  of  our  road,  are  at  the  head 
of  the  movement.  Both  are  persons  of  bad  record 
in  every  way." 

"I  know  that,"  murmured  Ralph. 

"We  believe  that  these  men  are  hired  to  pro- 
mote the  strike." 

"Why,  by  whom,  Mr.  Grant?"  inquired  Ralph 
in  considerable  surprise. 

"That  we  wish  you  to  rind  out.  All  we  suspect 
is  that  some  outside  party  is  inciting  them  to  the 
strike  to  carry  out  some  selfish  personal  ends. 
You  must  find  out  who  he  is.  You  must  discover 
his  motives." 

Ralph  was  perplexed.  He  could  not  under- 
stand the  situation  at  all. 

"I  will  do  all  I  can  in  the  line  you  suggest,  sir," 
he  said,  "although  I  hardly  know  where  to  begin." 

''You  will  find  a  way  to  make  your  investiga- 
tion," declared  the  president  of  the  Great  North- 
ern. "I  rely  a  great  deal  upon  your  ability  already 
displaved  in  ferreting  out  mysteries,  and  on  your 
good,  solid,  common  sense  in  going  to  work  cau- 
tiously and  intelligently  on  a  proposition.     You 


UNDER  SEALED  ORDERS 


n7 


can  tell  Forgan  you  are  relieved  on  special  service 
and  wire  me  personally  when  you  make  any 
discoveries." 

Ralph  arose  to  leave  the  room. 

"Wait  a  moment,"  continued  Mr.  Grant,  taking 
up  an  envelope.  "I  wish  you  to  hand  this  to 
Griscom.  The  Limited  Mail  will  not  make  any 
return  trip  to-night.  Instead,  a  special  will  be 
ready  for  you.  You  need  mention  this  to  no  one. 
That  envelope  contains  sealed  orders  and  is  not 
to  be  opened  until  you  start  on  your  trip.  The 
superintendent  of  the  road  will  see  you  leave  and 
will  give  you  all  further  instructions  needed." 

There  was  a  certain  air  of  mystery  to  this 
situation  that  perplexed  Ralph.  He  reported  to 
Griscoin  who  took  the  letter  with  a  curious 
smile. 

"Must  be  something  extra  going  on  down  the 
road,"  he  observed.  "Wonder  what?  Start  after 
dark,  too.     Hello,  I  say — the  pay  car." 

They  had  come  to  the  depot  to  observe  an  en- 
gine, two  cars  attached,  and  the  superintendent 
standing  on  the  platform  conversing  with  a  man 
attired  in  the  garb  of  a  fireman. 

The  latter  was  a  sturdy  man  of  middle  age,  one 
of  the  best  firemen  on  the  road,  as  Ralph  knew. 
He  nodded  to  Griscom  and  Ralph,  while  the 
superintendent  said : 


I38  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"Fairbanks,  this  man  will  relieve  you  on  the 
run." 

Ralph   looked   surprised. 

"Why,"  he  said,  "then  I  am  not  to  go  on  this 
trip?"   ' 

"Oh,  yes,"  answered  the  official  with  a  grim 
smile, — "that  is,  if  you  are  willing,  but  it  must 
be  as  a  passenger." 

Ralph  glanced  at  the  passenger  coach.  Inside 
were  half-a-dozen  guards. 

"Not  in  there,"  replied  the  superintendent. 
"We  want  you  to  occupy  the  pay  car  here.  Every- 
thing is  ready  for  you." 

"All  right,"  said' Ralph. 

"Come  on,  then." 

The  superintendent  unlocked  the  heavy  rear 
door  of  the  pay  car,  led  the  way  to  the  tightly 
sealed  front  compartment,  and  there  Ralph  found 
a  table,  chair,  cot,  a  pail  of  drinking  water  and 
some  eatables. 

"You  can  make  yourself  comfortable,"  said  the 
official.  "There  will  probably  be  no  trouble,  but 
if  there  is,  operate  this  wire." 

The  speaker  pointed  to  a  wire  running  parallel 
with  the  bell  rope  to  both  ends  of  the  train.  On 
the  table  lay  a  rifle.  The  only  openings  in  the 
car  were  small  grated  windows  at  either  end. 

The  official  left  the  car,  locking  in  Ralph.     The 


UNDER  SEALED  ORDERS  139 

young  fireman  observed  a  small  safe  at  one  end 
of  the  car. 

"Probably  contains  a  good  many  thousands  of 
dollars,"  he  reflected.  "Well,  here  is  a  newspaper, 
and  I  shall  try  to  pass  the  time  comfortably." 

By  getting  on  a  chair  and  peering  through  the 
front  ventilator,  Ralph  could  obtain  a  fair  view 
of  the  locomotive.  The  train  started  up,  and 
made  good  time  the  first  thirty  miles.  Then 
Ralph  knew  from  a  halt  and  considerable  switch- 
ing that  they  were  off  the  main  rails. 

"Why,"  he  said,  peering  through  the  grating, 
"they  have  switched  onto  the  old  cut-off  between 
Dover  and  Afton." 

That  had  really  occurred,  as  the  young  fireman 
learned  later.  The  officials  of  the  road,  it  ap- 
peared, feared  most  an  attack  between  those  two 
points,  and  the  sealed  orders  had  directed  Griscom 
to  take  the  old,  unused  route,  making  a  long 
circuit  to  the  main  line  again. 

Ralph  remembered  going  over  this  route  once 
— rusted  rails,  sinking  roadbed,  watery  wastes  at 
places  flooding  the  tracks.  He  kept  at  the  grating 
most  of  the  time  now,  wondering  if  Griscom 
could  pilot  them  through  in  safety. 

Finally  there  was  a  whistle  as  if  in  response  to 
a  signal,  then  a  sudden  stop  and  then  a  terrible 
jar.     Ralph  ran  to  the  rear  grating. 


140  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

"Why,"  he  cried,  "the  guard  car  has  been  de* 
tached,  there  arc  Mr.  Griscom  and  the  engineer 
in  the  ditch,  and  the  locomotive  and  pay  car  run- 
ning away.'' 

He  could  look  along  the  tracks  and  observe  all 
this.  Engineer  and  fireman  had  apparently  been 
knocked  from  the  cab.  Some  one  was  on  the  rear 
platform  of  the  pay  car,  a  man  who  was  now 
clambering  to  its  roof.  The  guards  ran  out  of 
the  detached  coach  and  fired  after  the  stolen  train, 
but  were  too  late. 

Rapidly  the  train  sped  along.  Ralph  ran  to  the 
front  grating.  The  locomotive  was  in  strange 
hands  and  the  tender  crowded  with  strange  men. 

"It's  a  plain  case,"  said  Ralph.  "These  men  have 
succeeded  in  stealing  the  pay  car,  and  that  little 
safe  in  the  corner  is  what  they  are  after." 

The  train  ran  on  through  a  desolate  waste,  then 
across  a  trestle  built  over  a  swampy  stretch  of 
land.  At  its  center  there  was  a  jog,  a  rattle,  the 
tracks  gave  way,  and  almost  with  a  crash,  the 
train  came  to  a  halt. 

It  took  some  time  to  get  righted  again,  and  the 
train  proceeded  very  slowly.  Ralph  had  done  a 
good  deal  of  thinking.  He  knew  that  soon  the 
robbers  would  reach  some  spot  where  they  would 
attack  the  pav  car. 

"I  must  defeat  their  purpose."  he  said  to  him- 


UNDER  SEALED  ORDERS  141 

self.  "I  can't  let  myself  out,  but — the  safe!  A 
good  idea." 

Ralph  settled  upon  a  plan  of  action.  He  was 
busily  engaged  during  the  next  half  hour.  When 
the  train  came  to  a  final  stop,  there  was  an  active 
scene  about  it. 

Half-a-dozen  men,  securing  tools  from  the 
locomotive,  started  to  break  In  the  door  of  the 
pay  car.    In  this  they  soon  succeeded. 

They  went  inside.  The  safe  was  the  object  of 
all  their  plotting  and  planning,  but  the  safe  was 
gone,  and  Ralph  Fairbanks  was  nowhere  in  the 
pay  car. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE    STRIKE    LEADER 

Ralph  felt  that  he  had  clone  a  decidedly  timely 
and  clever  act  in  outwitting  the  train  robbers.  He 
had  left  the  car  almost  as  it  stopped,  and  under 
the  cover  of  the  dark  night  had  gained  the 
shelter  of  the  timber  lining  the  track. 

The  young  fireman  waited  until  the  men  came 
rushing  out  of  the  car.  They  were  dismayed  and 
furious,  and,  leaving  them  in  a  noisy  and  excited 
consultation,  Ralph  started  back  towards  the 
trestle  work. 

"They  won't  get  the  safe,  that  is  sure,"  said 
the  young  railroader  in  tones  of  great  satisfaction, 
as  he  hurried  along  in  the  pelting  storm.  "They 
will  scarcely  pursue  me.  It  is  pretty  certain, 
however,  that  they  will  be  pursued,  and  I  may 
meet  an  engine  before  I  reach  Dover." 

Just  as  he  neared  the  end  of  the  trestle  Ralph 
saw  at  some  distance  the  glint  of  a  headlight.  It 
was  unsteady,  indicating  the  uncertain  character 
of  the  roadbed. 

142 


THE  STRIKE  LEADER 


143 


"About  two  miles  away,"  decided  the  young 
fireman.     "I  must  manage  to  stop  them." 

With  considerable  difficulty,  Ralph  secured 
sufficient  dry  wood  and  leaves  in  among  some 
bushes  to  start  a  fire  between  the  rails  and  soon 
had  a  brisk  blaze  going.  The  headlight  came 
Nearer  and  nearer.  A  locomotive  halted.  Ralph 
tan  up  to  the  cab. 

It  contained  Griscom,  the  city  fireman  and  two 
men  armed  with  rifles.  The  old  engineer  peered 
keenly  at  the  figure,  quickly  springing  to  the  step 
of  the  engine. 

"You,  lad?"  he  cried  heartily.  "I'm  -glad  of 
that.    Where  is  the  train?" 

"About  two  miles  further  on  beyond  the 
trestle." 

"And  the  pay  car?" 

"The  robbers  were  in  possession  when  I  left 
them." 

"Then  they  will  get  away  with  the  safe!"  cried 
the  engineer  excitedly. 

"Hardly,"  observed  Ralph,  with  a  smile. 

"Eh.  lad,  what  do  you  mean?" 

"What  I  say.  Truth  is,  I  saw  what  was  com- 
ing. There  was  only  one  thing  to  do.  There 
were  tools  in  the  car.  I  sawed  a  hole  through 
the  floor  of  the  car,   rolled  the  safe  to  it,  and 


144  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

dumped  it  through.  It  went  between  two  rotten 
ties,  and  lies  in  the  swamp — safe." 

With  a  shout  of  delight  old  John  Griscom 
slapped  his  young  assistant  admiringly  on  the 
shoulder. 

"Fairbanks,"  he  cried,  "you're  a  jewel!  Mate," 
to  the  fireman,  "this  is  glad  news." 

"It  is,  indeed,"  said  his  companion.  "I 
wouldn't  like  the  record  of  losing  that  safe.  Can 
you  locate  the  spot,  Fairbanks?" 

''It  may  take  some  trouble,"  answered  Ralph. 
"The  best  thing  to  do  is  to  get  a  wrecking  car 
here;  meantime,  the  trestle  should  be  guarded." 

They  ran  on  and  up  to  the  spot  where  the 
stolen  train  was  halted,  but  found  the  vicinity 
deserted.  It  seemed  that  whatever  the  robbers 
had  guessed  out  as  to  the  mystery  of  the  safe, 
they  did  not  consider  there  was  any  chance  of 
recovering  it. 

The  two  men  armed  with  rifles  remained  at 
the  trestle,  while  the  others  took  the  stolen  pay 
car  back  to  Dover.  Once  there,  Griscom  kept  the 
wires  busy  for  a  time.  About  daylight  a  wrecking 
crew  was  made  up.  Ralph  accompanied  them  to 
the  scene  of  the  attempted  robbery. 

He  could  fairly  estimate  the  locality  of  the 
sunken  safe,  and  some  abrasions  of  the  ties  finally 
indicated  the  exact  spot  where  the  safe  had  gone 


THE  STRIKE  LEADER 


145 


through  into  the  water  below.  It  was  grappled 
for,  found,  and  before  noon  that  day  the  pay  car 
train  arrived  at  Stanley  Junction  with  the  safe 
aboard. 

Affairs  at  the  terminal  town  were  still  in  an  un- 
settled condition.  The  presence  of  armed  guards 
prevented  wholesale  attacks  on  the  railroad 
property,  but  there  were  many  assaults  on  work- 
men at  lonely  spots,  switches  tampered  with  and 
shanty  windows  broken  in. 

Ralph  reported  to  Tim  Forgan  and  then  went 
home.  He  went  to  sleep  at  once,  awoke  refreshed 
about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  then  told 
his  mother  all  the  occurrences  of  that  day  and  the 
preceding  one. 

While  Mrs.  Fairbanks  was  pleased  at  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  her  son  by  the  railroad  au- 
thorities, she  was  considerably  worried  at  the 
constant  turmoil  and  dangers  of  the  present  rail- 
road situation.  Ralph,  however,  assured  her  that 
he  would  take  care  of  himself,  and  left  the  house 
trying  to  form  some  plan  to  follow  out  the  in- 
structions of  the  president  of  the  Great  Northern. 

He  could  not  go  among  the  strikers,  and  with- 
out doing  so,  or  sending  a  spy  among  them,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  ascertain  their  motives  and 
projects.  Coming  around  a  street  corner,  the 
young  fireman  halted  abruptly. 


146  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

A  procession  of  strikers  was  coming  down  the 
street.  They  were  a  noisy,  turbulent  mob. 
cheered  on  by  like  rowdyish  sympathizers  lining 
the  pavements. 

"Why,  impossible!"  exclaimed  Ralph,  as  he 
noticed  by  the  side  of  Jim  Evans,  the  leader  of  the 
crowd,  his  young  friend,  Zeph  Dallas. 

The  latter  seemed  to  share  the  excitement  of 
the  paraders.  He  acted  as  if  he  gloried  in  being 
a  striker,  and  the  familiar  way  Evans  treated  him 
indicated  that  the  latter  regarded  him  as  a 
genuine,  first-class  recruit. 

Zeph  caught  Ralph's  eye  and  then  looked 
quickly  away.  The  young  fireman  was  dreadfully 
disappointed  in  the  farmer  boy.  He  went  at  once 
to  the  roundhouse,  where  the  foreman  told  him 
that  Zeph  had  deserted  the  afternoon  previous. 

"I  don't  understand  it,"  said  Forgan.  "The  lad 
seemed  to  hate  the  strikers  for  attacking  him  the 
other  night.  I  suppose,  though,  it's  with  him  like 
a  good  many  others — there's  lots  of  'relief  money' 
being  given  out,  and  that's  the  bait  that  catches 
them." 

"I  must  manage  to  see  Zeph,"  mused  Halph. 
"I  declare,  I  can  hardly  believe  he  is  really  on 
their  side.  I  wonder  how  near  I  dare  venture  to 
the  headquarters  of  that  mob." 

The  young  fireman  went  to  the  vicinity  of  the 


THE  STRIKE  LEADER  147 

hall  occupied  by  the  strikers,  but  he  did  not  meet 
Zeph.  Then  Ralph  proceeded  to  the  business 
portion  of  Stanley  Junction.  He  visited  the  bank 
and  several  other  leading  local  business  institu- 
tions. He  made  a  great  many  inquiries  and  he 
felt  that  he  was  on  the  edge  of  some  important 
discoveries. 

When  he  got  home  he  found  Zeph  sitting  on 
the  porch,  smiling  as  ever.  Ralph  nodded  seri- 
ously to  him.     Zeph  grinned  outright. 

"What's  that  kind  of  a  welcome  for,  eh?"  he 
demanded. 

"Sorry  to  see  you  in  the  ranks  of  the  strikers 
to-day,  Zeph,"  observed  Ralph. 

"Ought  to  be  glad." 

"What?" 

"I  suppose  a  fellow  is  free  to  follow  out  his 
convictions,  isn't  he?" 

"Certainly." 

"Well,  I'm  following  out  mine,"  declarec 
Zeph — "the  conviction  that  of  all  the  mean  rascal: 
in  this  burg,  Jim  Evans  is  the  meanest.  See  here 
Fairbanks,  have  you  lost  your  wits?  Do  yor 
really  for  one  minute  suppose  I  sympathize  with 
those  fellows?" 

"You  seemed  pretty  close  to  Evans." 

"Grand!"  chuckled  Zeph.     "That's  just  what  I 


148  RALPH  OX  THE  EXCIXE 

was  working  for.  See  here,  I  made  up  my  mind 
that  those  fellows  were  up  to  more  mischief  than 
what  they  have  already  done.  I  concluded  there 
was  something  under  the  surface  of  this  pretended 
strike.     I  wanted  to  find  out.     I  have." 

Ralph  looked  very  much  interested  now.  He 
began  to  see  the  light. 

"Go  on,  Zeph,"  he  said. 

"Well,  I  found  out  just  what  I  suspected — some 
one  is  furnishing  the  strikers  with  money,  and  lots 
of  it." 

"Do  you  know  who  it  is?" 

"I  don't,  but  I  do  know  one  thing:  every  day 
Evans  goes  to  the  office  of  a  certain  lawyer  in 
town  here.  They  have  a  long  consultation. 
Evans  always  comes  away  very  much  satisfied 
and  with  more  money." 

"What's  the  lawyer's  name,  Zeph  ?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"Bartlett." 

Just  then  they  were  called  in  to  supper  by  Mrs. 
Fairbanks.  Ralph  was  silent  and  thoughtful  dur- 
ing most  of  the  meal. 

The  young  fireman  had  learned  that  afternoon 
that  a  stranger  named  Bartlett  had  been  buying 
up  all  the  stock  of  the  railroad  he  could  secure. 
The  man  was  not  in  good  repute  at  Stanley  Jura- 
tion.    He  had  come  there  only  the  week  previous, 


THE  STRIKE  LEADER 


149 


Ralph  was  told,  and  occupied  a  mean  little  room 
in  the  main  office  building  of  the  town. 

After  supper  Ralph  strolled  down  town.  He 
entered  the  building"  in  question  and  ascended  its 
stairs.  He  knew  the  occupants  of  most  of  the 
offices,  and  finally  located  a  room  which  contained 
a  light  but  had  no  sign  on  the  door. 

Footsteps  ascending  the  stairs  caused  the  young 
fireman  to  draw  back  into  the  shadow.  A  man 
came  into  view  and  knocked  noisily  at  the  closed 
door. 

"Here  I  am,  Bartlett,"  said  the  fellow,  lurching 
about  in  an  unsteady  way. 

"I  see  you  are,"  responded  the  man  inside  the 
room,  "primed  for  work,  too,  it  seems  to  me." 

Ralph  could  not  repress  some  excitement.  The 
man  Bartlett  he  instantly  recognized  as  the  person 
who  had  delivered  to  him  in  the  city  the  papers 
from  Gasper  Farrington.  His  visitor  he  knew  to 
be  a  discharged  telegraph  operator  of  the  Great 
Northern. 

"Yes,"  said  the  latter,  as  the  door  closed  on 
him,  "I'm  ready  for  work,  so  bring  on  your  wire- 
tapping scheme  soon  as  you  like." 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE   WIRE   TAPPERS 

WHEN  the  door  of  the  office  that  Ralph  was 
watching  closed  again  and  was  locked,  the  young 
fireman  approached  the  room.  He  was  very  sure 
that  some  important  move  against  the  railroad 
was  meditated  by  the  two  men  he  had  just  seen, 
and  he  was  anxious  to  overhear  their  conversation 
if  possible. 

To  his  intense  satisfaction  Ralph  found  that  a 
coal  box  rested  under  the  clouded-glass  window 
of  the  office  looking  into  the  hallway.  This  win- 
dow was  down  from  the  top  some  inches.  Ralph 
clambered  up  on  the  coal  box,  got  to  the  side  of 
the  window,  fixed  his  eye  at  a  small  space  where 
the  glass  was  broken,  and  prepared  to  listen  to  the 
words  of  the  two  men  he  had  in  view. 

Both  sat  in  chairs  now.  Bartlett  looked  brisk 
and  pleased ;  the  ex-telegraph  operator  was  un- 
kempt, rather  sullen,  and  acted  like  a  man  under 
orders  on  some  unpleasant  duty. 

.50 


THE  WIRE  TAPPERS 


151 


"Well,  Morris,"  said  the  former,  "all  ready,  are 
you?    Tools  and  wire  in  that  bag?" 

"Batteries  and  all,  complete  outfit,"  responded 
the  other.     "What's  the  programme?'' 

"You  haven't  mentioned  about  my  employing 
you  to  any  one?" 

"Certainly  not." 

"And  have  arranged  to  stay  away  from  town 
for  several  days?" 

"A  week,  if  you  like,  at  ten  dollars  a  day  you 
promised  me,"  answered  Morris. 

"Very  good.  Let  me  see.  There's  a  train 
about  10  o'clock." 

"There  is,  if  the  strikers  will  let  it  run  out," 
said  Morris. 

"Oh,  they  will.  I  have  arranged  all  that," 
chuckled  Bartlett.  "They'll  even  help  it  on,  know- 
ing I'm  aboard." 

"That  so?"  muttered  Morris.  "You  must  have 
a  pull  somewhere." 

"I  have,  or  at  least  money  has,  and  I  control 
the  money,"  grinned  Bartlett.  "You  are  to  come 
with  me  down  the  line  about  twenty  miles.  You'll 
be  told  then  about  this  special  job." 

Bartlett  got  up  and  bustled  about.  He  packed 
a  great  many  papers  in  a  satchel,  and  finally  an- 
nounced that  they  had  better  be  starting  for  the 
depot. 


152  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"Any  little  by-play  you  see  on  the  train,"  said 
Bartlett,  "help  along,  mind  you." 

"Why,  what  do  you  mean?"  inquired  Morris. 

"You'll  see  when  we  get  there,"  replied  Bartlett 
enigmatically. 

When  they  reached  the  depot  the  two  men  got 
aboard  the  one  passenger  coach  of  the  night  ac- 
commodation. There  was  a  combination  express 
car  ahead.  Ralph  went  to  the  messenger  in  charge 
and  arranged  to  have  free  access  to  do  as  he 
desired. 

When  the  train  started  up,  he  opened  the  rear 
door  of  the  car  and  commanded  a  clear  view  into 
the  passenger  coach.  The  men  he  was  watching 
sat  side  by  side,  engaged  in  conversation.  There 
were  only  a  few  passengers  aboard. 

Ralph  kept  his  eye  on  the  two  men.  He  noticed 
that  Bartlett  consulted  his  watch  frequently  and 
glanced  as  often  from  the  car  window.  Finally, 
when  the  brakeman  was  out  on  the  rear  platform 
and  the  conductor  at  the  front  of  the  coach,  the 
young  fireman  saw  Bartlett  quickly  draw  a  small 
screwdriver  from  his  pocket.  Hiding  its  handle 
in  his  palm  and  letting  the  blade  run  along  one 
finger,  he  dropped  his  arm  down  the  seat  rail  into 
the  middle  of  the  aisle. 

Morris  watched  towards  the  rear  platform, 
Bartlett  kept  his  eye  on  the  conductor.     His  hand 


THE  WIRE  TAPPERS 


153 


worked  against  the  floor  of  the  car.  Finally  he 
drew  up  his  arm,  put  the  screwdriver  in  his  pocket 
and  once  more  resumed  his  watch  on  the  outside 
landscape. 

There  was  a  sharp  signal,  and  the  train  gave  a 
jerk  Bartlett  arose  to  his  feet.  The  next  instant 
he  fell  flat  headlong,  and  lay  apparently  insensible 
on  the  floor  of  the  coach. 

The  conductor  ran  outside.  The  train  started 
up  again.  Ralph,  from  the  open  doorway,  heard 
the  engineer  shout  back  something  about  a  false 
signal,  presumably  the  work  of  the  strikers.  The 
train  proceeded  on  its  way. 

It  was  not  until  then,  as  he  re-entered  the  coach, 
that  the  conductor  became  aware  of  the  prostrate 
man  on  the  floor  and  Morris  and  other  passengers 
gathering  around  him  in  excitement  and  solici- 
tude. Ralph  ventured  across  the  platform  near 
to  the  door  of  the  passenger  coach. 

Bartlett,  seemingly  unconscious,  was  lifted  to 
a  seat.  He  soon  opened  his  eyes,  but  feigned  in- 
tense pain  in  his  side,  and  acted  the  injured  man 
to  perfection.  He  began  to  explain,  pointing  to 
the  floor.  The  conductor  investigated.  Ralph 
saw  him  draw  a  long  brass  screw  into  sight. 

"A  clever  game,"  murmured  the  young  fire- 
man. "What  a  rascal  the  fellow  is !  He  is  laying 
the  foundation  for  a  damage  suit." 


154  RALPH  OS  THE  EXGIXE 

Morris  made  himself  busy,  taking  the  names 
of  witnesses.  When  the  train  stopped,  Bartlett 
had  to  be  a '.most  lifted  from  the  coach.  Ralph 
alighted,  too,  and  kept  in  the  shadow.  As  soon  as 
the  train  left,  Bartlett  was  able  to  walk  about 
unassisted. 

The  little  town  they  had  arrived  at  was  dark 
and  silent,  and  the  two  men  met  no  one  as  they 
proceeded  down  its  principal  street.  Then  they 
turned  to  the  south  and  walked  a  distance  of 
about  a  mile.  There  was  a  kind  of  a  grove  lining 
the  railroad.  At  its  center  they  reached  a  lonely 
hut. 

"Open  up,  there!"  shouted  Bartlett,  pounding 
on  its  door  with  a  stick  he  had  picked  up. 

A  light  soon  showed  through  the  cracks  of  the 
board  shutters. 

"Who  is  there?"  demanded  a  voice  from  tha 
inside. 

"Bartlett." 

"All  right — come  in." 

"Gasper  Farrington,"  murmured  Ralph,  as  he 
recognized  the  occupant  of  the  hut. 

It  was  the  magnate  of  Stanley  Junction,  still 
disguised,  just  as  he  had  been  the  last  night  Ralph 
had  seen  him  at  the  home  of  Jim  Evans.  The 
three  men  disappeared  within  the  house.  Ralph 
approached  and  went  cautiously  about  the  place. 


THE  WIRE  TAPPERS  155 

He  could  not  find  a  single  point  where  he  could 
look  into  the  hut. 

The  young  fireman  felt  that  it  was  very  im- 
portant that  he  should  learn  what  was  going  on 
within  the  house.  He  at  length  discovered  a  way 
of  gaining  access  to  at  least  one  part  of  it.  This 
was  at  the  rear  where  a  high  stack  of  old  hay 
stood.  It  almost  touched  the  hut,  and  its  top  was 
very  near  to  a  sashless  aperture  in  the  attic. 

Ralph  scaled  the  stack  with  some  difficulty  and 
reached  its  top.  In  another  moment  he  was 
inside  the  attic.  It  was  low,  the  rafters  were  few 
and  far  between,  and,  as  he  crept  over  these,  they 
began  to  sway  and  creak  in  an  alarming  way. 

"This  won't  do  at  all,"  murmured  the  youth  in 
some  dismay,  for  it  seemed  that  one  more  move- 
ment would  carry  down  the  entire  ceiling  below7. 
He  tried  to  retreat.  There  was  a  great  cracking 
sound,  and  before  he  could  help  himself  the  young 
fireman  went  sprawding  into  the  room  below  in 
the  midst  of  a  shower  of  plaster  and  laths. 

"Hello!"  shouted  Bartlett,  jumping  up  from  a 
chair  in  consternation. 

"I  should  say  so,"  exclaimed  Morris,  dodging 
about  out  of  the  way  of  falling  bits  of  plaster 
from  the  ceiling. 

"A  spy!"  cried  Farrington,  "a  spy!  Why,  it's 
Ralph  Fairbanks!" 


156  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

The  young  fireman  stood  surrounded  by  the 
three  men,  trying  to  clear  his  half-blinded  eyes. 
He  was  seized  and  hustled  about,  thrown  into  a 
chair,  and  regained  his  wonted  composure  to  find 
Gasper  Farrington  confronting  him  with  an  angry 
face. 

"So,    it's   you,   is   it — you,    again?"    spoke  the 
latter,  gazing  at  Ralph  with  a  glance  full  of  ill 
will." 

"Yes,"  responded  the  youth.  "I  can't  deny  it 
very  well,  can  I  ?" 

"How  do  you  come  to  be  up  in  that  attic  ?  How 
long  have  you  been  there?  What  are  you  up  to, 
anyway?"  shouted  the  excited  Farrington. 

"Don't  ask  me  any  questions  for  I  shall  not 
answer  them,"  retorted  Ralph  nervily.  "Here  I 
am.     Make  the  best  of  it." 

"Sec  here,"  said  Bartlett,  a  deep  frown  on  his 
face.  "This  looks  bad  for  us.  Morris,  watch 
that  young  fellow  a  minute  or  two." 

He  and  Farrington  went  into  the  next  room. 
There  was  a  low-toned  consultation.  When  they 
came  back  the  lawyer  carried  a  piece  of  rope  in 
his  hand.  It  was  useless  for  Ralnh  to  resist,  and 
the  three  men  soon  had  him  securely  bound.  He 
was  carried  into  a  small  adjoining  room,  thrown 
on  a  rude  mattress,  and  locked  m. 

For    nearly    half-an-hour    he    could    hear    the 


THE  WIRE  TAPPERS  157 

drone  of  low  voices  in  the  adjoining  room.  Then 
the  door  was  unlocked,  and  Farrington  came  in 
with  a  light  and  made  sure  that  the  captive  was 
securely  bound. 

/'You  are  going  to  leave  here,  then?"  asked 
Bartlett. 

"Don't  I  have  to?"  demanded  Farrington. 
"This  fellow  has  located  us.  I'll  take  you  and 
Morris  to  the  place  I  told  you  about,  and  move 
my  traps  out  of  here  early  in  the  morning." 

"What  are  you  going  to  cio  with  Fairbanks?" 
inquired  Bartlett. 

"I'm  thinking  about  that,"  retorted  Farrington 
in  a  grim  way.  "It's  the  chance  of  a  lifetime  to 
settle  with  him.     You  leave  that  to  me." 

The  speakers,  shortly  after  this,  left  the  hut 
with  Morris.  Ralph  found  he  could  not  release 
himself,  and  patiently  awaited  developments.  His 
captors  had  left  the  light  in  the  next  room  and 
the  door  open,  and  he  could  see  on  a  table  the 
satchel  the  lawyer  had  brought  with  him  from 
his  office. 

The  sight  of  it  caused  Ralph  to  make  renewed 
efforts  for  freedom.  He  strained  at  his  bonds 
strenuously.     Finally  a  strand  gave  way. 

It  was  just  as  he  began  to  take  hope  that  he 
might  acquire  his  liberty  before  his  captors  re- 


I58  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

turned,  that  a  sudden  disaster  occurred  that  made 
the  young  fireman  fear  for  his  life. 

Some  more  of  the  ceiling  plastering  fell.  It 
struck  the  lamp  on  the  table,  upset  it,  and  in  an 
instant  the  room  was  ablaze. 


CHAPTER  XX 

IN  PERIL 

The  young  fireman  gave  a  great  shout  of  dis- 
tress and  excitement  as  he  realized  that  he  was 
in  a  decidedly  perilous  predicament.  The  oil  of 
the  lamp  had  ignited  and  the  hut  seemed  doomed. 

Ralph  tugged  at  his  bonds  in  a  frenzy.  An- 
other strand  of  the  rope  gave  way,  then  another, 
and  still  another.  He  trembled  with  mingled  sur- 
prise and  hope.  Could  he  get  free  in  time?  It 
seemed  not,  for  the  flames  were  spreading  fast 
and  furiously. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  shout  outside  of  the  hut. 
It  was  repeated,  and  then  there  came  a  great 
crash  at  the  door.  Ralph  wondered  at  this,  for 
he  could  think  only  of  Farrington  and  his  accom- 
plices returning  to  the  rescue.  The  loud  pounding 
on  the  door,  however,  indicated  that  the  persons 
engaged  in  it  had  no  key.  There  was  more  than 
one  person ;  Ralph  ascertained  this  from  the  sound 
of  mingled  voices. 

Suddenly  the  door  gave  way.     Ir  was  burst 

159 


l6o  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

bodily  from  its  hinges  and  went  crashing  against 
the  blazing  table,  upsetting  it.  At  just  that 
moment  Ralph  got  one  arm  free.  He  was  about 
to  shout  for  assistance  when  he  recognized  the 
intruders. 

They  were  Ike  Slump  and  Mort  Bemis.  Both 
dashed  into  the  blazing  room.  One  found  a  pail 
of  water  and  threw  it  in  among  the  flames.  This 
subdued  the  blaze  partially. 

"Be  quick!"  cried  Slump  to  his  companion. 
"Grab  all  you  can.  You  have  been  watching  the 
place,  and  say  you  know  where  old  Farrington  is 
likely  to  hide  his  valuables." 

"Right  here,"  replied  Bemis,  tearing  open  the 
door  of  a  cupboard.     "Here's  a  satchel." 

"And  here's  another  one,"  said  Ike  Slump, 
picking  up  the  one  that  Bartlett  had  brought  to 
the  place.  "Look  sharp,  now.  They  may  come 
back  at  any  moment." 

The  two  marauders  ransacked  the  room.  Ralph 
refrained  from  calling  out  to  them.  He  could 
now  reach  his  pocket  knife,  and  just  as  Slump 
and  Bemis,  pretty  well  singed  by  the  flames,  ran 
out  of  the  hut,  he  hurried  to  a  rear  door  and 
darted  outside  as  well. 

The  young  fireman  peered  around  the  corner 
of  the  hut.  He  saw  Slump  and  Bemis  making  for 
the  nearest  timber.     Ralph  put  after  them,  and  as 


IN  PERIL  161 

he  gained  the  cover  of  the  woods,  looking  back, 
he  made  out  three  figures  dashing  towards  the 
blazing  hut. 

"Farrington  and  the  others,"  decided  Ralph. 
"This  is  an  exciting  business.  Now  to  keep  track 
of  Slump  and  Bemis.  I  can  hardly  figure  out, 
though,  how  they  came  to  rob  the  hut,  for  Far- 
rington was  once  their  friend." 

The  precious  pair  of  thieves  scurried  along 
through  the  woods,  laughing  and  talking  gleefully 
over  the  plunder  they  had  secured.  They  must 
have  gone  over  three  miles  before  they  halted. 
It  was  at  a  spot  in  among  high  bushes.  Here 
they  had  evidently  been  camping  previously,  for 
there  was  a  lot  of  hay  on  the  ground,  the  signs 
of  a  recent  campfire,  and  a  sort  of  roof  of  bark 
overhead  for  shelter  from  rain  and  dew.  They 
sat  down  on  the  ground  and  Slump  proceeded  to 
light  a  lantern. 

"Your  watching  has  amounted  to  something  at 
last,  Mort,"  said  Slump.  "Farrington  went  back 
on  us  in  a  measly  way.  Why,  after  all  we  did  for 
him  he  took  up  with  Jim  Evans  and  others,  and 
even  refused  me  a  few  dollars  when  we  were  in 
hiding  and  trouble  after  that  silk  robbery.  Here's 
our  revenge.  He's  been  up  to  some  deep  game 
for  a  week.  He'll  never  know  who  stole  this 
plunder." 


1 62  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"Find  how  much  of  it  there  is,"  suggested 
Bemis. 

Each  took  up  a  satchel  to  investigate  the  con- 
tents. Ralph  was  intensely  interested.  He  peered 
from  a  safe  covert  near  at  hand. 

"Well,  well,  well!"  exclaimed  Slump  as  he 
opened  the  satchel  taken  from  the  cupboard  of  the 
old  hut.  "Why,  there's  a  fortune  here,  if  we  can 
only  handle  it.  Bonds  of  the  Great  Northern, 
stock  in  the  Great  Northern.  See  ?  some  money — 
notes,  mortgages,  deeds!     This  is  a  big  find." 

"Same  here,  except  the  money,"  reported 
Bemis,  investigating  the  documents  in  the  satchel 
brought  from  Stanley  Junction  by  Bartlett. 
"Mostly  railroad  stock  in  the  Great  Northern. 
Private  letters,  lists  of  names  of  the  strikers. 
Memoranda  about  some  wire-tapping  scheme. 
Say,  these  papers  are  enough  to  send  the  old 
skeesicks  to  the  penitentiary.  Ilt'll  pay  a  fortune 
to  get  them  back." 

Slump  pocketed  the  ready  cash  in  the  satchel. 
Then  he  was  silently  thoughtful  for  a  few 
moments. 

"See  here,  I  have  my  scheme,"  he  said  finally. 
"We'll  carry  these  satchels  down  to  the  old  barge 
at  the  creek,  and  hide  them  there.  Then  we'll 
block  out  some  plan  to  work  Farrington  for  their 
return." 


IN  PERIL  ^3 

"All   right,"   said   Bemis.      "Come  ahead." 

They  took  up  the  satchels  and  started  on  again, 
and  Ralph  followed  them  as  before.  They  came 
to  a  creek,  and,  after  lining  its  shore  for  nearly 
a  mile,  to  a  large  roughly-made  scow.  Both 
boarded  the  craft,  disappeared  in  its  hold,  reap- 
peared, and  came  to  the  shore  again. 

"We'll  just  enjoy  the  ready  cash  for  the  time 
being,"  said  Slump,  "and  later  find  out  a  safe 
way  to  deal  with  Farrington." 

When  they  had  gone,  Ralph  went  aboard  the 
scow.  A  scuttle  led  down  into  its  hold.  Its 
cover  was  closed  with  a  strong  spring  bolt.  Ralph 
drew  this  back  and  sat  over  the  edge  of  the 
scuttle. 

He  peered  down,  prepared  to  push  the  cover 
clear  back,  when  he  slipped  and  went  below  head- 
long. The  cover  fell  tightly  shut,  and  he  was  a 
prisoner. 

Ralph  did  not  mind  this  much  at  the  time.  He 
believed  he  could  readily  force  up  the  cover  in 
some  way  when  he  wanted  to  leave  the  scow.  He 
lit  some  matches  and  proceeded  to  search  for  the 
two  satchels.  He  found  them  in  a  remote  corner 
of  the  hold. 

It  was  when  he  prepared  to  leave  the  hold  that 
the  young  fireman  discovered  himself  in  a  de- 
cided   quandary.      He    could    barely    reach    the 


164  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

scuttle  cover,  and  there  was  not  an  object  in  the 
hold  that  he  could  use  to  force  it  open.  Finally 
Ralph  decided  that  he  could  not  hope  for  escape 
in  that  direction. 

There  was  a  little  window  at  one  end  of  the 
scow,  but  it  was  too  small  to  escape  by.  Ralph 
was  compelled  to  accept  the  situation,  at  least  until 
daylight.  lie  tried  to  sleep,  and  at  dawn  looked 
out  from  the  window. 

"I  will  simply  have  to  wait  here  until  some  one 
passes  by,"  he  told  himself.  "In  the  meantime, 
though,  Slump  and  Bemis  may  return.  Can  I 
reach  the  rope  holding  the  scow  to  the  shore?" 

This  was  secured  around  a  tree  stump.  Ralph 
reached  with  his  pocket  knife  through  the  win- 
dow, and  began  cutting  at  the  scow  end  of  the 
rope,  which  ran  just  above  it. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  strands  gave  way  and  the 
scow  floated  down  the  creek. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 

There  was  a  sluggish  current  to  the  creek  and 
as  soon  as  the  scow  got  into  midstream,  it  pro- 
ceeded steadily  on  its  voyage. 

"This  is  better  than  staying  at  the  old  mooring 
place,"  reasoned  Ralph.  "Of  course,  Slump  and 
Bemis  will  return  there  and  search  for  the  scow. 
Before  they  do,  I  hope  I  will  have  drifted  past 
some  house  or  settlement  where  I  can  call  out  for 
assistance." 

Ralph,  however,  was  not  destined  to  meet  with 
ready  relief.  The  scow  floated  along  banks  wild 
and  timbered,  and,  during  a  vigilant  watch  at  the 
little  window  of  over  two  hours,  he  saw  no  human 
being  or  habitation. 

Finally  the  scow  slowed  up,  its  course  became 
irregular,  it  bumped  into  some  obstacle,  turned 
around,  and  Ralph  discovered  the  cause  of  the 
stoppage.  A  mass  of  logs  and  other  debris  had 
formed  clear  across  the  creek  at  one  point.    This 

165 


166  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

the  scow  lined,  edging  slowly  along  as  if  drawn 
b,  some  counter-current. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  craft  had  worked  its  way 
into  a  cut-' iff  from  the  creek.  It  Moated  slowly  in 
among  a  swampy  wilderness  of  reeds  and  stunted 
trees,  came  to  halt  at  a  shallow,  and  there  re- 
mained stationary. 

"Why,  this  is  worse  than  being  in  the  creek," 
ruminated  Ralph,  with  some  concern.  "There  was 
a  chance  of  hailing  some  one  there  sooner  or  later, 
but  in  this  isolated  spot  I  stand  the  risk  of  starv- 
ing to  death.'' 

The  young  fireman  was  both  hungry  and 
thirsty.  He  made  another  desperate  attempt  to 
force  the  scuttle,  but  found  it  an  utter  impossi- 
bility. Then  he  took  out  his  pocket  knife.  There 
was  one  last  chance  of  escape  in  sight.  If  he 
could  cut  the  wood  away  around  the  bolt  of  the 
scuttle  cover,  he  might  force  it  open. 

Ralph  could  not  work  to  any  advantage,  for  the 
top  of  the  hold  was  fully  a  foot  above  his  head. 
However,  patiently  and  hopefully  he  began  his 
task.  Bit  by  bit,  the  splinters  and  shavings  of 
wood  dropped  about  him. 

"Too  bad,  that  ends  it,"  he  exclaimed  suddenly, 
as  there  was  a  sharp  snap  and  the  knife  blade 
broke  in  two. 

The   situation   was   now    a   very   serious   one 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED  167 

Ralph  tried  to  view  tilings  calmly,  but  he  was 
considerably  worried.  Fie  was  somewhat  en- 
couraged, however,  a  little  later,  as  he  noticed  that 
along  the  dry  land  lining  the  swampy  cut-off 
there  were  signs  of  a  rough  wagon  road. 

"All  I  can  do  now  is  to  watch  and  wait,"  he 
declared.  "I  guess  I  will  take  a  look  over  the 
contents  of  those  satchels." 

Once  started  at  the  task,  Ralph  became  greatly 
interested.  He  was  amazed  at  what  the  docu- 
ments before  him  revealed  of  the  plans  and 
villainies  of  old  Gasper  Farrington.  There  was 
evidence  enough,  indeed,  as  Slump  had  said,  to 
send  the  village  magnate  to  the  penitentiary. 

"This  information  will  be  of  great  value  to  the 
railroad  people,"  said  Ralph.  "It  would  enable 
them  to  at  once  break  the  strike." 

"Whoa!" 

Ralph  gave  utterance  to  a  cry  of  delight  and 
surprise.  He  ran  to  the  little  window  of  the 
scow.  Not  fifty  feet  away  was  a  horse  and 
wagon.  Its  driver  had  shouted  out  the  word  to 
halt.  Now  he  dismounted  and  was  arranging  a 
part  of  the  harness  where  it  had  come  loose. 

"Hello,  there !  Joe !  Joe !  hurry  this  way  f" 
fairly  shouted  Ralph. 

"Hi,  who's  that,  where  are  you?"  demanded 
the  person  hailed 


l68  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"In  the  scow.*  Ralph!  Locked  in!  Get  me 
out!" 

"I  declare!     It  can't  be  Ralph.     Weil!  well!" 

Nimbly  as  his  crutches  would  allow  him,  Limpy 
Joe  came  towards  the  scow.  lie  halted  as  he 
neared  the  window  where  he  could  make  out  the 
anxious  face  of  his  friend. 

"What  are  you  ever  doing  there?  How  did 
you  get  in  there?  Why,  this  is  wonderful,  my 
finding  you  in  this  way,"  cried  the  cripple. 

"I'll  tell  you  all  that  when  I  get  out,"  promised 
Ralph.  "All  you  have  to  do  is  to  spring  back  the 
bolt  catch  on  the  cover  to  the  hold  scuttle." 

"I'll  soon  have  you  out  then,"  said  Joe,  and 
with  alacrity  he  waded  into  the  water,  got  aboard 
the  old  craft,  and  in  another  minute  Ralph  had 
lifted  himself  free  of  his  prison  place. 

"Whew!  what  a  relief,"  aspirated  the  young 
fireman  joyfully.  "Joe,  it  is  easy  explaining  how 
I  came  to  be  here — the  natural  sequence  of  events 
— but  for  you  to  be  on  hand  to  save  me  is  mar' 
velous." 

"I  don't  see  why,"  said  Joe.  "I  have  been 
coming  here  for  the  last  three  days." 

"What  for?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Business,  strictly." 

"Mother  told  me  you  had  taken  the  horse  and 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED  169 

wagon  and  had  gone  off  on  a  peddling  trip,"  said 
Ralph. 

"Yes,  I  sold  out  a  lot  of  cheap  shoes  to  farmers 
which  I  got  at  a  bargain  at  an  auction,"  explained 
Joe.  "Then  I  struck  a  fine  new  scheme.  It 
brought  me  here.  I'll  explain  to  you  later.  Your 
story  is  the  one  that  interests  me.  Tell  me  how 
you  came  to  be  in  that  scow,  Ralph." 

The  young  fireman  brought  up  the  two  satchels 
from  the  hold  of  the  old  craft,  and  briefly  related 
to  Joe  the  incidents  of  his  experience  with  Far- 
rington,  Slump  and  the  others. 

"I  say,  you  have  done  a  big  thing  in  getting 
those  satchels,"  said  Joe,  "and  you  want  to  place 
them  in  safe  hands  at  once.  Come  ashore,  and 
I'll  drive  you  to  the  nearest  railroad  town.  You 
don't  want  to  risk  meeting  any  of  your  enemies 
until  you  have  those  papers  out  of  their  reach." 

When  they  came  up  to  the  wagon,  Ralph  gazed 
at  its  piled-up  contents  in  surprise.  The  wagon 
bottom  was  filled  with  walnuts  and  butternuts. 
There  must  have  been  over  twelve  bushels  of 
them.  On  top  of  them  was  spread  a  lot  of  damp 
rushes  and  all  kinds  of  wild  flowers,  mosses  and 
grasses.  Two  large  mud  turtles  lay  under  the 
wagon  seat. 

"Why,  what  does  all  that  layout  mean?"  ex- 
claimed Ralph,  in  amazement. 


170 


RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 


"That,"  said  little  Joe,  with  sparkling  eyes,  "is 
an  advertising  scheme.  Some  time  ago  I  discov- 
ered the  finest  nut  grove  in  the  timber  yonder  you 
ever  saw.  I  suppose  I  could  in  time  have  gathered 
up  a  hundred  wagon  loads  of  them.  I  intend  to 
make  a  heap  of  money  out  of  them.  A  couple  of 
days  ago,  though,  I  thought  out  a  great  idea.  You 
know  Woods,  the  dry  goods  man  at  the  June' 
tion?" 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"He  is  a  wide-awake,  enterprising  fellow,  and 
I  told  him  of  my  scheme.  It  caught  his  fancy  at 
once.  The  plan  was  this :  every  week,  I  am  to 
trim  up  his  show  window  with  what  we  call  'a 
nature  feature.'  We  keep  pace  with  vegetation. 
This  week  we  show  a  swamp  outfit ;  next  week 
pumpkins  and  the  like;  the  following  week 
autumn  leaves.  We  work  in  live  objects  like 
turtles  to  give  motion  to  the  scene.  Do  you 
catch  on?" 

"It  is  an  excellent  idea  and  will  attract  lots  of 
attention,"  declared  Ralph. 

"You  bet  it  will,"  assented  his  comrade  with 
enthusiasm.  "Anyhow,  my  pay  is  fine  and  I  ex- 
pect to  work  other  towns  in  the  same  way.  I  will 
show  you  the  most  artistic  display  window  you 
ever  saw  when  I  get  this  load  of  truck  to  town." 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED  \yi 

In  about  two  hours  they  reached  a  railroad 
station,  and  somewhat  later  Ralph  caught  a  train 
for  the  city.  He  went  at  once  to  the  office  of  the 
president  of  the  Great  Northern.  There  was  a 
long  interview.  As  Ralph  left  the  railroad  mag- 
nate his  face  was  pleased  and  his  heart  light  and 
hopeful. 

"Fairbanks,''  said  Air.  Grant,  "I  cannot  express 
my  satisfaction  at  your  discoveries.  It  is  as  we 
supposed — some  individual  has  been  encouraging 
the  strikers.  There  are  ample  proofs  among  these 
papers  of  the  fact  that  Gasper  Farrington  has 
hired  the  strikers  to  commit  all  kinds  of  misdeeds 
to  scare  stockholders  of  the  road.  He  has  thus 
been  enabled  to  buy  up  their  stock  at  a  reduced 
figure,  to  make  an  enormous  profit  when  the  strike 
is  over.  He  had  a  scheme  to  tap  our  wires  and 
cause  further  complications  and  trouble.  Within 
a  week  the  backbone  of  the  strike  will  be  broken, 
and  we  shall  not  forget  your  agency  in  assisting 
us  to  win  out." 

Ralph  went  back  to  Stanley  Junction  that  same 
day.  He  related  all  his  varied  adventures  to  his 
mother  that  evening. 

"One  thing  I  discovered  from  those  documents 
in  the  satchels,"  said  Ralph.  "Farrington  has 
transferred  all  his  property  to  Bartlett  so  we  could 
not  collect  the  money  he  owes  us." 


172  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

"Then  we  shall  lose  our  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars after  all,"  said  Mrs.  Fairbanks  anxiously. 

"Wait  and  see,"  replied  Ralph,  with  a  mys- 
terious smile.  "I  am  not  yet  through  with  Gasper 
Farrington." 


CHAPTER  XXII 
the:  limited  mail 

"All  aboard!" 

The  conductor  of  the  Limited  Mail  gave  the 
signal  cheerily.  Ralph  swung  in  from  his  side  of 
the  cab  on  the  crack  locomotive  of  the  road.  Old 
John  Griscom  gave  a  chuckle  of  delight  and  the 
trip  to  the  city  began. 

It  was  ten  days  after  the  adventure  in  the  scow 
— ten  days  full  of  activity  and  progress  in  the 
railroad  interests  of  the  Great  Northern.  This 
was  the  morning  when  old-time  schedules  were 
resumed  and  every  part  of  the  machinery  of  the 
line  went  back  to  routine. 

"I  tell  you,  lad,  it  feels  good  to  start  out  with 
clear  tracks  and  the  regular  system  again.  I'm 
proud  of  you,  Fairbanks.  You  did  up  those 
strikers  in  fine  style,  and  it  will  be  a  long  time 
before  we  shall  have  any  more  trouble  in  that 
line." 

"I  hope  so,  Mr.  Griscom,"  said  Ralph.  "The 
company  seems  determined  to  teach  the  strikers  a 
lesson." 

173 


174 


RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 


This  was  true.  Immediately  after  the  visit  ai 
Ralph  to  the  city,  the  railroad  people  had  set  at 
work  to  make  the  most  of  the  evidence  in  their 
hands.  A  statement  of  the  facts  they  had  discov- 
ered was  given  to  the  public,  a  series  of  indict- 
ments found  against  Gasper  Farrington,  Bartlett, 
Jim  Evans  and  others,  and  a  vigorous  prosecution 
for  conspiracy  was  begun.  Among  the  most  im- 
portant witnesses  against  them  was  Zeph  Dallas. 
Farrington  and  Bartlett  disappeared.  Evans  and 
the  others  were  sent  to  jail. 

A  great  revulsion  in  popular  sentiment  occurred 
when  the  true  details  of  the  strike  movement  were 
made  known.  The  respectable  element  of  the  old 
union  had  scored  a  great  victory,  and  work  was 
resumed  with  many  undesirable  employes  on  the 
blacklist. 

It  seemed  to  Ralph  now  as  though  all  unfavor- 
able obstacles  in  the  way  of  his  success  had  been 
removed.  He  believed  that  Slump  and  Bemis 
were  powerless  to  trouble  him  farther.  As  to 
Farrington,  Ralph  expected  at  some  time  to  see 
that  wily  old  schemer  again,  for  the  railroad  was 
in  possession  of  papers  of  value  to  the  discredited 
railroad  magnate. 

Ralph  had  now  become  quite  an  expert  at  his 
work  as  a  fireman.  There  was  no  grumbling  at 
any  time   from  the  veteran  engineer,   for  Ralph 


THE  LIMITED  MAIL  175 

had  a  system  in  his  work  which  showed  always  in 
even,  favorable  results.  The  locomotive  was  in 
splendid  order  and  a  finer  train  never  left  Stan- 
ley Junction.  At  many  stations  cheers  greeted  this 
practical  announcement  of  the  end  of  the  strike. 

There  was  no  jar  nor  break  on  the  route  until 
they  reached  a  station  near  Afton.  The  engine 
was  'going  very  fast,  when,  turning  a  curve,  Gris- 
com  uttered  a  shout  and  turned  the  throttle 
swiftly. 

"Too  late!"  he  gasped  hoarsely. 

The  young  fireman  had  seen  what  Griscom 
saw.  It  was  an  alarming  sight.  At  a  street  cross- 
ing a  baby  carriage  was  slowly  moving  down  an 
incline.  A  careless  nurse  was  at  some  distance 
conversing  with  a  companion.  The  shrill  shriek 
of  the  whistle  caused  her  to  discover  the  impend- 
ing disaster,  but  she  had  become  too  terrified  to 
move. 

Ralph  readily  saw  that  speed  would  not  be 
greatly  diminished  by  the  time  the  locomotive 
overtook  the  child  in  the  baby  carriage,  and  in  a 
flash  he  acted.  He  was  out  on  the  running  board 
and  onto  the  cowcatcher  so  quickly  that  he  seemed 
fairly  to  fly.  Grasping  a  bracket,  the  young  fire- 
man poised  for  a  move  that  meant  life  or  death 
for  the  imperiled  child. 

The  locomotive  pounded  the  rails  and  shivered 


j 76  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

under  the  pressure  of  the  powerful  air  brakes. 
Ralph  swung  far  down,  one  hand  extended.  The 
baby  carriage  had  rolled  directly  between  the  rails 
and  stood  there  motionless. 

It  contained  a  beautiful  child,  who,  with  an 
innocent  smile,  -greeted  the  approaching  monster 
of  destruction  as  if  it  were  some  great,  pleasing 
toy.     Ralph's  heart  was  in  his  throat. 

"Grab  out!"  yelled  Griscom,  fairly  beside  him- 
self with  fear  and  suspense. 

The  young  fireman's  eyes  were  dilated,  his 
whole  frame  trembled.  Quick  as  lightning  his  hand 
shot  out.  It  met  in  a  bunch  of  the  clothing  of  the 
child.  He  lifted;  the  vehicle  lifted,  too,  for  a 
strap  held  in  its  occupant. 

There  was  a  terrific  tension  on  the  arm 
of  the  young  railroader.  The  lower  part 
of  the  vehicle  was  crunched  under  the  cowcatcher 
and  the  child  was  almost  borne  away  with  it. 
Then  the  pressure  lightened.  With  a  great  breath 
of  relief  and  joy  Ralph  drew  the  child  towards 
him,  tangled  up  in  the  wreckage  of  the  baby  car- 
riage. 

The  train  stopped.  Griscom  did  not  say  a  word 
as  they  backed  down.  His  face  was  white,  his 
eyes  startled,  his  breath  came  hard,  but  he  gave  his 
intrepid  young  assistant  a  look  of  approbation  and 
idevotion  that  thrilled  Ralph  to  the  heart. 


THE  LIMITED  MAIL 


177 


A  crowd  had  gathered  around  the  distracted 
nurse  at  the  street  crossing.  She  was  hysterical 
as  the  rescued  child  was  placed  in  safety  in  her 
arms.  Other  women  were  crying.  A  big  police- 
man arrived  on  the  scene.  Griscom  gave  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  occurrence. 

"Name,  please?"  said  the  officer  to  Ralph. 

"Oh,  that  isn't  necessary  at  all,"  said  Ralph. 

"Isn't  it?     Do  you  know  whose  child  that  is?" 

"No,"  said  Ralph. 

"The  father  is  Judge  Graham,  the  richest  man 
in  the  town.  Why,  he'd  hunt  the  world  over  to 
find  you.     A  lucky  fellow  you  are." 

Ralph  gave  his  name  and  the  train  proceeded 
on  its  way  amid  the  cheers  of  the  passengers,  who 
had  learned  of  the  brave  act  of  the  young  fire- 
man. When  terminus  was  reached,  a  fine-looking 
old  lady  approached  the  locomotive. 

"Mr.  Fairbanks,"  she  said  to  Ralph,  "the  pas- 
sengers desire  you  to  accept  a  slight  testimonial 
of  their  appreciation  of  your  bravery  in  saving 
that  young  child." 

Ralph  flushed  modestly. 

"This  looks  like  being  paid  for  doing  a  simple 
duty,"  he  said,  as  the  lady  extended  an  envelope. 

"Xot  at  all,  Mr.  Fairbanks.  It  was  a  noble  act, 
and  we  all  love  vou  for  it." 


1^8  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

"I  think  more  of  that  sentiment  than  this 
money,"  declared  Ralph. 

The  envelope  contained  fifty  dollars.  Griscom 
told  the  story  of  the  rescue  all  over  Stanley  June- 
tion  next  day,  and  the  local  newspapers  made 
quite  an  article  of  it. 

The  next  morning  Ralph  had  just  completed 
his  breakfast,  when  his  mother  went  to  the  front 
door  to  answer  the  bell.  She  showed  some  one 
into  the  parlor  and  told  Ralph  that  a  gentleman 
wished  to  see  him. 

The  young  fireman  was  somewhat  astonished, 
upon  entering  the  parlor,  to  be  grasped  by  the 
hand  and  almost  embraced  by  a  stranger. 

"I  am  Judge  Graham,"  spoke  the  latter,  in  a 
trembling,  excited  tone.  ''Young  man,  you  saved 
the  life  of  my  only  child." 

"I  was  glad  to,"  said  Ralph  modestly. 

The  judge  went  on  with  a  description  of  the 
joy  and  gratitude  of  the  mother  of  the  child,  of 
his  sentiments  towards  Ralph,  and  concluded  with 
the  words : 

"And  now,  Mr.  Fairbanks,  I  wish  to  reward 
you." 

"That  has  been  done  already,"  said  Ralph,  "in 
your  gracious  words  to  me." 

"Not  at  all,  not  at  all,"  declared  the  judge 
''Come,  don't  be  modest.     I  am  a  rich  man." 


THE  LIMITED  MAIL 


i/9 


"And  I  a  rich  mother  in  having  so  noble  a  son," 
sooke  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  with  deep  emotion.  "You 
rrust  not  think  of  a  reward,  sir.  He  will  not  take 
it." 

After  a  while  the  judge  left  the  house,  but  he 
diii  so  with  an  insistent  and  significant  declara- 
tioa  that  "he  would  not  forget"  Ralph. 

Fhe  young  fireman  was  surprised  to  see  him 
re-'.irning  a  few  minutes  later,  in  the  company 
of  two  of  his  own  friends,  Mr.  Trevor,  the 
nephew  of  the  president  of  the  Great  Northern, 
and  Van  Sherwin. 

"Well,  this  is  a  queer  meeting."  cried  Van 
with  enthusiasm,  as  they  entered  the  house.  "Here 
we  met  Judge  Graham,  who  is  a  great  friend  of 
Mr.  Trevor,  and  the  very  man  we  wished  to  see." 

This  statement  was  soon  explained.  It  ap- 
peared that  Mr.  Trevor  had  fully  recovered 
his  health,  and  had  come  to  Stanley  Junction  with 
Van  to  make  preparations  to  issue  and  sell  the 
bonds  of  the  Short  Cut  Railroad.  The  judge  was 
one  of  the  friends  he  had  intended  to  interview 
about  buying  some  bonds. 

For  an  hour  young  Trevor  recited  to  Judge 
Graham  the  prospects  of  the  little  railway  line 
and  their  plans  regarding  the  same.  Ralph  was 
fascinated  at  his  glowing  descriptions  of  its  great 
future. 


l8o  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

Ralph's  visitors  went  away,  but  in  a  short  time 
Van  returned  to  the  cottage. 

"I  say,  Ralph,"  lie  remarked,  "Judge  Graham 
is  going  to  invest  in  those  bonds." 

"That's  good,"  said  Ralph. 

"And  I  heard  him  tell  Mr.  Trevor  to  put  down 
an  extra  block  of  them  in  the  name  of  Ralph 
Fairbanks." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE  PICNIC  TRAIN 

Zeph  Dallas  had  returned  to  work.  His  con- 
nection with  the  strikers  had  been  fully  explained 
to  the  railroad  people  by  Ralph,  and  the  farmer 
boy  was  readily  taken  back  into  the  service  of  the 
company.  Zeph  boarded  with  Mrs.  Fairbanks, 
and  Limpy  Joe  did,  too,  when  he  was  in  Stanley 
Junction. 

The  enterprising  Joe  was  winning  his  way  fa- 
mously. His  advertising  scheme  was  a  grand 
success,  and  the  nuts  he  gathered  brought  in  a 
good  many  dollars.  One  day  he  came  to  town 
to  announce  that  he  was  going  to  move  his  traps, 
thanking  Mrs.  Fairbanks  for  her  great  kindness 
to  him  in  the  past. 

"Are  you  going  to  leave  the  Junction  perma- 
nently, Joe?"  asked  Ralph. 

"I  think  so,"  answered  the  cripple.  "You  see,  I 
have  been  up  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Short 
Line  Railroad.  They  can  use  my  horse  and 
Wagon.    They  offer  me  a  good  salary  to  cook  for 

181 


tS2  RALPH  OX  THE  E.XG1XE 

them,  and  the  concession  of  running  a  restaurant 
when  their  line  is  completed." 

"A  good  opportunity,  that,  Joe,"  said  Ralph, 
"although  the  main  prospect  you  mention  is  far 
in  the  future,  isn't  it?" 

"Not  at  all,"  declared  Joe.  "I  guess  you 
haven't  kept  track  of  proceedings  in  The  Barrens. 
Their  telegraph  line  is  clear  through,  both  ways 
from  headquarters  now.  The  bonds  are  nearly 
all  sold,  and  they  expect  to  begin  to  lay  the  rails 
in  earnest  next  week." 

"I  noticed  a  good  deal  of  activity  at  our  end  of 
the  line,"  said  Ralph.  "I  think  the  scheme  is  go- 
ing to  he  a  success.  I  almost  wish  I  was  going  to 
work  with  you  fellows." 

It  was  now  drawing  on  towards  late  fall.  Foi 
several  weeks  the  young  fireman  had  not  been 
disturbed  by  his  enemies.  Work  had  gone  on 
smoothly.  He  was  learning  more  and  more  every 
day,  and  his  savings  amounted  to  quite  a  preten- 
tious sum. 

The  only  outside  issue  that  troubled  Ralph  was 
the  fact  that  they  had  not  yet  recovered  the 
twenty  thousand  dollars  due  his  mother  from  old 
Gasper  Farrington.  That  individual  had  disap- 
peared. Ralph  kept  a  sharp  lookout,  for  upon 
finding  the  magnate  and  bringing  him  to  terms 
depended  the  last  chance  of  getting"  the  money. 


THE  PICNIC  TRAIN  183 

There  was  the  last  picnic  of  the  season  one  day, 
and  Ralph  had  been  assigned  to  duty  to  look  after 
things  generally.  He  was  surprised  when  Forgan 
took  him  off  the  run  of  the  Limited  Mail. 

"It  will  be  a  sort  of  vacation  holiday  for  you, 
lad,"  said  the  roundhouse  foreman.  "We  want 
somebody  reliable  to  look  after  the  train,  with 
so  many  women  and  children  aboard.  You  will 
be  boss  over  the  engineer,  fireman  and  the  whole 
train  crew  for  the  day." 

"Quite  an  important  commission,"  said  Ralph, 
"but  what  will  the  train  crew  say  about  it?" 

"Oh,  they  will  be  -glad  to  work  with  the  re- 
sponsibility on  somebody  else.  Here  is  tlie 
schedule.  Be  careful  of  your  running  time,  Fair- 
banks. I  wouldn't  have  anything  happen  to  the 
picnic  train  for  worlds." 

Ralph  studied  out  the  situation.  When  the 
train  left  Stanley  Junction  he  took  a  position  in 
the  locomotive,  attended  to  reports  at  all  stations 
they  passed,  and  the  train  reached  the  picnic 
grounds  in  safety  and  was  run  on  the  siding. 

Ralph  gave  himself  up  to  the  enjoyment  of  a 
real  holiday.  He  knew  nearly  everybody  on  the 
picnic  grounds  and  nearly  everybody  there  knew 
him.  About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  a  boy 
living  at  the  Junction  came  up  to  him. 

"Say.    Ralph,"    he    remarked,    tendering    the 


1 84  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

young  fireman  a  note.   "A  fellow  out  in  the  woods 
gave  me  this  for  you." 

Ralph  took  the  missive,  and,  opening  it,  read 
its  contents  with  mingled  surprise  and  suspicion. 
The  note  ran : 

''If  R.  F.  wants  to  hear  of  something  to  his 
advantage,  come  to  the  old  railroad  bridge  right 
away." 

There  was  no  signature  to  the  scrawl,  but 
Ralph  quite  naturally  thought  of  Ike  Slump  and 
his  crowd.  That  did  not,  however,  deter  him 
from  going  to  keep  the  appointment.  He  cut  a 
stout  cudgel  and  proceeded  to  the  old  railroad 
bridge  named  in  the  note. 

The  young  fireman  glanced  keenly  about  him. 
but  for  some  time  did  not  get  a  view  of  anybody 
in  the  vicinity.  Finally  from  a  clump  of  bushes 
up  the  incline  a  handkerchief  waved.  Ralph 
climbed  the  embankment  to  find  himself  facing 
Ike  Slump. 

The  latter  was  ragged  and  starved-looking.  Ta 
Ralph  it  appeared  that  the  ex-roundhouse  boy  had 
been  having  a  decidedly  hard  time  of  it  recently. 

"You  needn't  carry  any  stick  around  here."  said 
Slump,  sullenly.     "You  needn't  be  afraid  of  me." 

"Not  at  all,"  answered  Ralph,  "although  your 


THE  PICNIC  TRAIN 


135 


actions  in  the  past  would  warrant  my  having  a 
whole  battery  around  me." 

"That's  done  with,"  asserted  Slump,  quite 
meekly.  "Bemis  is  up  there  a  little  ways.  You 
needn't  be  afraid  of  him,  either." 

"What  are  you  getting  at  with  all  this  talk, 
Ike?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Why,  we  want  to  be  friends." 

"What  for?" 

"Because — because  we're  tired  of  starving  and 
being  hunted  and  the  like,"  said  Slump.  "You 
have  won  out,  we  are  beaten.  We  want  to  work 
together." 

"I  declare  I  don't  understand  what  you  are 
driving  at,"  said  Ralph.  "Come,  Ike  Slump,  play 
no  more  crafty  games.  It  don't  pay.  Be  honest 
and  straight.    What  did  you  bring  me  here  for  ?" 

"To  make  some  money  for  both  of  us." 

"In  what  way?" 

"You  would  give  a  good  deal  to  find  Gasper 
Farrington,  wouldn't  you,  now?" 

"I  certainly  am  anxious  to  locate  that  man, 
/es,"  answered  Ralph  frankly. 

"All  right,  we  know  where  he  is." 

"And  you  are  willing  to  make  amends,  I  sup- 
pose, for  your  past  misconduct  by  telling  me 
where  Farrington  is  to  be  found,  so  that  I  can 
have  him  arrested." 


1 86  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"Well,  I  guess  not!"  cried  Mort  Bemis,  coming 
upon  the  scene.  "We  want  pay  for  what  we  do. 
We  want  a  hundred  dollars  to  begin  with.  A  lot 
more  when  you  get  that  money  he  owes  you." 

"My  friends,"  said  Ralph,  promptly  turning 
from  the  spot.  "Not  a  cent.  I  don't  believe  you 
know  how  to  act  square.  You  don't  show  it  by 
your  present  proposition.  If  you  really  want  to  be 
helped,  and  if  you  are  sorry  for  your  past  wrong 
doing,  come  back  to  Stanley  Junction,  tell  the 
truth,  take  your  punishment  like  men,  and  I  wil! 
be  your  good  friend." 

"Well,  you're  a  bold  one/'  sneered  Slump,  get- 
ting very  angry.     "You  won't  help  us  out,  then?" 

"With  money — on  your  promise?  No.  I  shaU 
find  Gasper  Farrington  finally  without  your  aid, 
and,  if  you  have  nothing  further  to  say,  I  shall 
return  to  the  picnic  grounds." 

"I  don't  think  you  will."  said  Bemis,  roughly 
olacing  himself  in  Ralph's  path. 

"Why  not?"  inquired  the  young  fireman  calmly, 
grasping  his  cudgel  with  a  closer  grip. 

"Because — say,  Ike,  grab  him.  quick:  If  he 
won't  deal  with  us  and  we  can  get  him  a  prisoner, 
Farrington  will  pay  us.  You  know  he  always 
wanted  to  get  rid  of  him." 

Ralph  prepared  to  meet  the  enemy  squarely^ 


THE  PICNIC  TRAIN  187 

Slump  and  Bemis  rushed  towards  him.  Before 
they  could  begin  the  fight,  however,  a  man  burst 
through  the  underbrush  whom  Ralph  recognized 
as  a  Stanley  Junction  police  officer  detailed  on 
picnic  duty. 

"Found  you,  my  friends,  have  I?"  he  hailed  the 
two  fellows.  "Grab  one  of  them,  Fairbanks,  I've 
got  the  other.  I  was  on  the  lookout  for  them. 
They  stole  a  purse  from  the  basket  of  an  old  lady 
in  the  picnic  'grounds  a  few  hours  ago.  Slump? 
Bemis?     Well,  you  are  a  fine  pair,  you  are!" 

The  officer  insisted  on  arresting  them,  the  more 
so  that  upon  recognizing  them  now  he  suddenly 
remembered  that  a  reward  had  been  offered  for 
their  apprehension  by  the  railroad  company.  The 
crestfallen  plotters  were  taken  to  the  train  and 
locked  up  in  one  end  of  the  express  car. 

Ralph  went  to  them  after  a  spell  and  tried  to 
learn  something  more  from  them,  but  they  were 
now  sullen  and  vengeful. 

In  due  time  the  train  was  backed  down  to  the 
main  track,  the  engine  detached  made  a  run  for 
water,  and,  returning,  stood  some  little  distance 
from  the  cars. 

The  fireman  and  engineer  left  the  engine  to 
help  their  families  gather  up  their  traps  and  take 
them  aboard  the  train.  Ralph  was  busy  in  the 
cab.      He  was  looking  over  the  gauges  when  a 


1 88  RALPH  OX  THE  EXCJXE 

sudden  blow  from  behind  stretched  him  insensible 
on  the  coal  of  the  tender. 

As  he  slowly  opened  his  eyes  Ralph  saw  Slump 
and  Bemis  in  the  cab.  In  some  way  they  had 
escaped,  had  stolen  the  locomotive,  and  were 
speeding  away  to  liberty. 

"Just  heard  a  whistle.  It  must  be  the  Dover 
Accommodation,"  Slump  was  remarking.  "Gel 
off  and  open  the  siding  switch,  Mort." 

This  Bemis  did,  and  the  engine  started  up 
again.  Ralph  thrilled  at  the  words  Slump  had 
spoken.  He  was  weak  and  dizzy-headed,  but  he 
made  a  desperate  effort,  staggered  to  his  feet  and 
sprang  from  the  cab. 

Had  the  locomotive  remained  at  the  picnic 
grounds,  the  train  would  have  been  switched  to 
the  siding  again  until  the  Accommodation  passed. 
As  it  was.  unwarned,  the  Accommodation  would 
crash  into  the  train. 

Ralph  heard  its  whistle  dangerously  near.  He 
looked  up  and  down  the  tracks.  Ahead,  a  bridge 
crossed  the  tracks,  and  near  it  was  a  framework 
with  leather  pendants  to  warn  freight  brakemen 
in  the  night  time.  Towards  this  Ralph  ran  swiftly 
Weak  as  he  was.  he  managed  to  scale  the  frame* 
work,  gained  its  center,  and  sat  there  panting, 
poised  for  the  most  desperate  action  of  his  young 
career. 


THE  PICNIC  TRAIN  189 

The  Accommodation  train  came  into  view. 
Ralph  sat  transfixed,  knowing  that  he  would  soon 
face  death,  but  unmindful  of  the  fact  in  the  hope 
that  his  action  would  save  the  lives  of  those 
aboard  the  picnic  train. 

The  Accommodation  neared  him.  The  young 
fireman  'got  ready  to  drop.  He  let  go,  crashed 
past  the  roof  of  the  cab,  and  landed  between  the 
astonished  engineer  and  fireman. 

"The  picnic  train — on  the  main,  stop  your  loco- 
motive!" he  panted,  and  fainted  dead  away. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
in  "the  barrens" 

Ralph  Fairbanks  had  taken  a  terrible  risk, 
and  had  met  with  his  first  serious  accident  since 
he  had  commenced  his  career  as  a  young  fireman. 
When  he  next  opened  his  eyes  he  was  lying  in  his 
own  bed,  a  doctor  and  his  mother  bending  solici- 
tously over  him. 

Slowly  reason  returned  to  him.  He  stared 
wonderingly  about  him  and  tried  to  arise.  A 
terrible  pain  in  his  feet  caused  him  to  subside. 
Then  Ralph  realized  that  he  had  suffered  some 
serious  injury  from  his  reckless  drop  into  the 
locomotive  cab  near  the  picnic  grounds. 

"What  is  it,  doctor?"  he  asked  faintly. 

"A  bad  hurt  in  one  arm  and  some  ugly  bruises. 
It  is  a  wonder  you  were  not  crippled  for  life,  or 
killed  outright." 

"The  train — the  picnic  train!"  cried  Ralph, 
clearly  remembering  now  the  incidents  of  the 
stolen  engine. 

190 


IN  "THE  BARRENS" 


191 


''The  Accommodation  stopped  in  time  to  avert 
a  disaster,"  said  Mrs.  Fairbanks. 

Ralph  closed  his  eyes  with  a  satisfied  expression 
on  his  face.  He  soon  sank  into  slumber.  It  was 
late  in  the  day  when  he  awoke.  Gradually  his 
strength  came  back  to  him,  and  he  was  able  to 
sit  up  in  bed. 

The  next  day  he  improved  still  more,  and 
within  a  week  he  was  able  to  walk  down  to  the 
roundhouse.  Forgan  and  all  his  old  friends 
greeted  him  royally. 

"I  suppose  you  have  the  nerve  to  think  you  are 
going  to  report  for  duty/'  observed  Forgan. 
"Well,  you  needn't  try.  Orders  are  to  sick  list 
you  for  a  month's  vacation." 

"I  will  be  able  to  work  in  a  week,"  declared 
Ralph. 

"Vacation  on  full  pay,"  continued  the  round- 
house foreman. 

Ralph  had  to  accept  the  situation.  He  told  his 
mother  the  news,  and  they  had  a  long  talk  over 
affairs  in  general.  The  doctor  advised  rest  and 
a  change  of  scene.  The  next  day  Van  Sherwin 
called  on  his  way  back  to  The  Barrens.  That 
resulted  in  the  young  fireman  joining  him,  and 
his  mother  urged  him  to  remain  with  his  friends 
and  enjoy  his  vacation. 

A  recruit  to  the  ranks  of  the  workers  of  the 


192  RALPH  ON  THE  EXGIXE 

Short  Cut  Railroad  presented  himself  as  Ralph 
and  Van  left  for  the  depot  one  morning  to  ride 
as  far  as  Wilmer.     This  was  Zeph  Dallas. 

"No  use  talking,"  said  the  farmer  boy.  "I'm 
lonesome  here  at  Stanley  Junction  and  I'm  going 
to  join  Joe." 

"All  right,"  assented  Van,  "if  you  think  it  wise 
to  leave  a  steady  job  here." 

"Why,  you'll  soon  be  able  to  give  me  a  better 
one,  won't  you?"  insisted  Zeph.  "It  just  suits 
me,  your  layout  down  there  in  The  Barrens.  Take 
me  along  with  you." 

When  they  reached  Wilmer  and  left  the  train, 
Van  pointed  proudly  to  a  train  of  freight  cars  on 
the  Great  Northern  tracks  loaded  with  rails  and 
ties. 

"That's  our  plunder,"  he  said  cheerily.  "Mr. 
Trevor  is  hustling,  I  tell  you.  Why,  Ralph,  we 
expect  to  have  this  end  of  the  route  completed 
within  thirty  days." 

As  they  traversed  the  proposed  railroad  line, 
Ralph  was  more  and  more  interested  in  the  proj- 
ect. Little  squads  of  men  were  busily  employed 
here  and  there  grading  a  roadbed,  and  the  tele- 
graph line  was  strung  over  the  entire  territory. 

Thev  reached  the  headquarters  about  noon.  A 
new  sign  appeared  on  the  house,  which  was  the 


IN  "THE  BARRENS' 


193 


center  of  the  new  railroad  system.  It  was 
"Gibson." 

A  week  passed  by  filled  with  great  pleasure  for 
the  young  railroader.  Evenings,  Mr.  Gibson  and 
his  young  friends  discussed  the  progress  and 
prospects  of  the  railroad.  There  were  to  be  two 
terminal  stations  and  a  restaurant  at  the  Spring- 
field end  of  the  route.  There  were  only  two 
settlements  in  The  Barrens,  and  depots  were  to 
be  erected  there. 

"We  shall  have  quite  some  passenger  service/' 
declared  Mr.  Gibson,  "for  we  shorten  the  travel 
route  for  all  transfer  passengers  as  well  as 
freight.  The  Great  Northern  people  do  not  at 
all  discourage  the  scheme,  and  the  Midland 
Central  has  agreed  to  'give  us  some  freight  con- 
tracts. Oh,  we  shall  soon  build  up  into  a  first- 
class,  thriving,  little  railroad  enterprise." 

One  evening  a  storm  prevented  Ralph  from  re- 
turning to  headquarters,  so  he  camped  in  with 
some  workmen  engaged  in  grading  an  especially 
difficult  part  of  the  route.  The  evening  was 
passed  very  pleasantly,  but  just  before  nine 
o'clock,  when  all  had  thought  of  retiring,  a  great 
outcry  came  from  the  tent  of  the  cook. 

"I've  got  him,  I've  caught  the  young  thief," 
shouted  the  cook,  dragging  into  view  a  small  boy 
who  was  sobbing  and  trembling  with  grief. 


194  RALPH  ON  THE  EXGIXE 

"What's  the  row?"  inquired  one  of  the  work- 
men. 

"Why,  I've  missed  eatables  for  a  week  or  more 
at  odd  times,  and  I  just  caught  this  young  robber 
stealing  a  ham." 

"I  didn't  steal  it,"  sobbed  the  detected 
youngster.  "I  just  took  it.  You'd  take  it,  too, 
if  you  was  in  our  fix.     We're  nearly  starved." 

"Who  is  nearly  starved?"  asked  Ralph,  ap- 
proaching the  culprit. 

"Me  and  dad.  We  were  just  driven  to  pick  up 
food  anywhere.  You've  got  lots  of  it.  You 
needn't  miss  it.     Please  let  me  go,  mister." 

"No,  the  jail  for  you,"  threatened  the  cook 
dire  fully. 

"Oh,  don't  take  me  away  from  my  father," 
pleaded  the  affrighted  youngster.  "He  couldn't 
get  along  without  me." 

"See  here,  cook,  let  me  take  this  little  fellow  in 
hand,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"All  right,"  assented  the  cook,  adding  in  an 
undertone,  "give  him  a  good  scare." 

Ralph  took  the  boy  to  one  side.  His  name  was 
Ned.  His  father,  he  said,  was  Amos  Greenleaf, 
an  old  railroader,  crippled  in  an  accident  some 
years  before.  He  had  become  very  poor,  and  they 
had  settled  in  an  old  house  in  The  Barrens  a  few 


IN  "THE  BARRENS' 


195 


miles  distant.  Ralph  made  up  a  basket  of  food 
with  the  cook's  permission. 

"Now  then,  Ned,"  said  Ralph,  "you  lead  the 
way  to  your  home." 

"You  won't  have  me  arrested?" 

"Not  if  you  have  been  telling  me  the  truth." 

"I  haven't,"  declared  the  young  lad.  "It's 
worse  than  I  tell  it.  Dad  is  sick  and  has  no  medi- 
cine.    We  have  nearly  starved." 

It  was  an  arduous  tramp  to  the  wretched  hovel 
they  at  last  reached.  Ralph  was  shocked  as  he 
entered  it.  It  was  almost  bare  of  furniture,  and 
the  poor  old  man  who  lay  on  a  miserable  cot  was 
thin,  pale  and  racked  with  pain. 

"I  am  Ralph  Fairbanks,  a  fireman  on  the  Great 
Northern,"  said  the  young  railroader,  "and  I  came 
with  your  boy  to  see  what  we  can  do  for  you." 

"A  railroader?"  said  Greenleaf.  "I  am  glad  to 
see  you.  I  was  once  in  that  line  myself.  Crippled 
in  a  wreck.  Got  poor,  poorer,  bad  to  worse,  and 
here  I  am." 

"Too  bad,"  said  Ralph  sympathizingly.  "Why 
have  you  not  asked  some  of  your  old  comrades  to 
help  you?" 

"They  are  kind-hearted  men,  and  did  help  me 
for  a  time,  till  I  became  ashamed  to  impose  on 
their  generosity." 


Iq6  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"How  were  you  injured,  Mr.  Grecnleaf?'' 
asked  Ralph. 

"In  a  wreck.  It  was  at  the  river  just  below 
Big  Rock.  I  was  a  brakeman.  The  train  struck 
a  broken  switch  and  three  cars  went  into  the  creek. 
I  went  with  them  and  was  crippled  for  life.  One 
of  them  was  a  car  of  another  road  and  not  so 
high  as  the  others,  or  I  would  have  been  crushed 
to  death." 

"A  car  of  another  road?"  repeated  Ralph  with 
a  slight  start. 

"Yes." 

"You  don't  know  what  road  it  belonged  to?" 

"No.  They  recovered  the  other  two  cars.  I 
never  heard  what  became  of  the  foreign  car.  I 
guess  it  was  all  smashed  up." 

"Gondola?" 

"No,  box  car." 

Ralph  was  more  and  more  interested. 

"When  did  this  occur,  Mr.  Greenleaf?"  he 
asked. 

"Five  years  ago." 

"Is  it  possible,"  said  Ralph  to  himself,  "that 
I  have  at  last  found  a  clew  to  the  missing  car 
Zeph  Dallas  and  that  car  finder  are  so  anxious  to 
locate?" 


CHAPTER  XXV 

TOO  LATE 

Two  days  later  Ralph  went  down  the  line  of 
the  little  railroad  to  where  it  met  the  tracks  of  the 
Great  Northern.  Mr.  Gibson  had  sent  him  with 
some  instructions  to  the  men  at  work  there,  and  at 
the  request  of  the  young  fireman  had  assigned 
him  to  work  at  that  point. 

This  consisted  in  checking  up  the  construction 
supplies  delivered  by  rail.  Ralph  had  a  motive  in 
coming  to  this  terminus  of  the  Short  Line  Route. 
The  information  he  had  gained  from  the  old, 
crippled  railroader,  Amos  Greenleaf,  had  set  him 
to  thinking.  He  found  Zeph  Dallas  working  in- 
dustriously, but  said  nothing  about  his  plans  until 
the  next  day. 

At  the  noon  hour  he  secured  temporary  leave  of 
absence  from  work  for  Zeph  and  himself,  and 
went  to  find  his  friend. 

Zeph  was  a  good  deal  surprised  when  Ralph 
told  him  that  they  were  to  have  the  afternoon  for 
a  ramble,  but  readily  joined  his  comrade. 

197 


1 98  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"Saw  some  friends  of  yours  hanging  around 
here  yesterday,"  said  the  farmer  boy. 

"That  so?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Yes,  Slump  and  Bemis.  Guess  they  were  after 
work  or  food,  and  they  sloped  the  minute  they  set 
eyes  on  me.  Say,  where  are  you  bound  for  any. 
way,  Ralph  ?" 

"For  Wilmer." 

"What  for?" 

"I  want  to  look  around  the  river  near  there. 
The  truth  is,  Zeph,  I  fancy  I  have  discovered  a 
clew  to  that  missing  freight  car." 

"What!"  cried  Zeph  excitedly.  "You  don't 
mean  car  Xo.  9176?" 

"I  mean  just  that,"  assented  Ralph.  "Here,  let 
us  find  a  comfortable  place  to  sit  down,  and  I'll 
tell  you  the  whole  story." 

Ralph  selected  a  spot  by  a  fence  lining  the  rail- 
road right  of  way.  Then  he  narrated  the  details 
of  his  interview  with  Amos  Greenleaf. 

"Say,"  exclaimed  Zeph,  "I  believe  there's  some- 
thing to  this.  Every  point  seems  to  tally  somehow 
to  what  information  the  car  finder  gave  me,  don't 
you  think  so?  Besides,  in  investigating  the  mat- 
ter. I  heard  about  this  same  wreck.  And  five 
years  ago?  Ralph,  this  is  worth  looking  up,  don't 
you  think  so?" 

Zeph  was  fairly  incoherent  amid  his  excitement. 


TOO  LATE 


199 


He  could  not  sit  still,  and  arose  to  his  feet  and 
began  walking  around  restlessly. 

"You  see,  it  is  a  long  time  since  the  car  dis- 
appeared," said  Ralph,  "and  we  may  not  be  able 
to  find  any  trace  of  it.  The  car  finder,  in  his 
investigations,  must  have  heard  of  this  wreck. 
Still,  as  you  say,  it  is  worth  following  up  the  clew, 
and  that  is  why  I  got  a  leave  from  work  for  the 
afternoon." 

"Hello,"  said  Zeph,  looking  in  among  the 
bushes  abruptly,  "some  one  in  there  ?  Xo,  I  don't 
see  anybody  now,  but  there  was  a  rustling  there 
a  minute  or  two  ago." 

"Some  bird  or  animal,  probably,"  said  Ralph. 
"Come  on,  Zeph,  we  will  go  to  the  bridge  and 
start  on  our  investigations." 

The  river  near  Wilme'r  was  a  broad  stream. 
It  was  quite  deep  and  had  a  swift  current.  The 
boys  started  down  one  bank,  conversing  and 
watching  out.  Ralph  laughed  humorously  after 
a  while. 

"I  fancy  this  is  a  kind  of  a  blind  hunt,  Zeph," 
he  said.  "We  certainly  cannot  expect  to  find  that 
car  lying  around  loose." 

"Well,  hardly,  but  we  might  find  out  where  it 
went  to  if  we  go  far  enough,"  declared  Zeph.  "I 
tell  you,  I  shall  never  give  it  up  now  if  I  have  to 
go  clear  to  the  end  of  this  river." 


200  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

They  kept  on  until  quite  late  in  the  afternoon, 
but  made  no  discoveries.  They  passed  a  little 
settlement  and  went  some  distance  beyond  it. 
Then  Ralph  decided  to  return  to  the  railroad 
camp. 

"All  right,"  said  Zeph,  "only  I  quit  work  to- 
morrow." 

"What  for?" 

"To  find  that  car.  I  say,  I'm  thirsty.  Let  us 
get  a  drink  of  water  at  that  old  farm  house 
yonder." 

They  went  to  the  place  in  question  and  were 
drinking  from  the  well  bucket  when  the  apparent 
owner  of  the  place  approached  them. 

"Won't  you  have  a  cup  or  a  glass,  my  lads?" 
he  inquired  kindly. 

"Oh,  no,  this  is  all  right,"  said  Ralph. 

"On  a  tramp,  are  you?"  continued  the  farmer, 
evidently  glad  to  have  some  one  to  talk  to. 

"In  a  way,  yes,"  answered  Ralph,  and  then, 
a  sudden  idea  striking  him,  he  added:  "By  the 
way,  you  are  an  old  resident  here,  I  suppose?" 

"Forty  years  or  more." 

"Do  you  happen  to  remember  anything  of  a 
wreck  at  the  bridge  at  Wilmer  about  five  years 
ago?" 

"Let  me  see,"  mused  the  man.  "That  was  the 
time  of  the  big  freshet.     Yes,  I  do  remember  it 


TOO  LATE  201 

faintly.  It's  the  freshet  I  remember  most  though. 
Enough  timber  floated  by  here  to  build  a  barn. 
See  that  old  shed  yonder?"  and  he  pointed  to  a 
low  structure.  "Well,  I  built  that  out  of  timber 
I  fished  ashore.  Lumber  yard  beyond  Wilmer 
floated  into  the  creek,  and  all  of  us  along  here  got 
some  of  it." 

"What  do  you  know  about  the  wreck?"  asked 
Ralph. 

"Heard  about  it  at  the  time,  that's  all.  Sort  of 
connect  the  freshet  with  it.  That  was  a  great 
washout,"  continued  the  farmer.  "Even  sheds  and 
chicken  coops  floated  by.  And  say,  a  box  car, 
too." 

"Oh,"  cried  Zeph,  with  a  start  as  if  he  was 
shot. 

"Indeed?"  said  Ralph,  with  a  suppressed 
quiver  of  excitement  in  his  tone. 

"Yes.  It  went  whirling  by,  big  and  heavy  as 
it  was." 

"Say,  Mister,  you  don't  know  where  that  car 
went  to,  do  you?"  inquired  Zeph  anxiously. 

"Yes,  I  do.     I  know  right  where  it  is  now." 

"You  do?" 

"Yes,  old  Jabez  Kane,  ten  miles  down  the 
creek,  got  it.     He  is  using  it  now  for  a  tool  shed." 

"Oh !"  again  cried  Zeph,  trembling  with  sus- 
pense and  hope. 


202 


RALPH  OX  THE  E.XGIXE 


Ralph  nudged  him  to  be  quiet.  He  asked  a 
few  more  questions  of  the  farmer  and  they  left 
the  place. 

'"Ralph,"  cried  Zeph  wildly,  "we've  found  it!'' 

"Maybe  not,"  answered  the  young  fireman.  "It 
may  not  be  the  same  car." 

"But  you're  going  to  find  out?" 

"It's  pretty  late.  We  had  better  make  a  day  of 
it  to-morrow." 

"All  right,  if  we  can't  attend  to  it  to-day,"  said 
Zeph  disappointedly ;  and  then  both  returned  to 
camp. 

Next  morning  earl}'  both  started  for  the  creek 
again.  By  proceeding  across  the  country  diag- 
onally, they  saved  some  distance. 

It  was  about  noon  when  they  approached  ,'i 
rickety,  old  farmhxise,  which  a  man  had  tol J 
them  belonged  to  Jabez  Kane. 

"There  it  is,  there  it  is,"  cried  Zeph,  as  they 
neared  it. 

"Yes,  there  is  an  old  box  car  in  the  yard  near 
the  creek,  sure  enough,"  said  Ralph. 

They  entered  the  farm  yard.  The  box  of  the 
car  they  looked  at  sat  flat  on  the  ground.  It  had 
been  whitewashed  several  times,  it  appeared,  so 
they  could  trace  no  markings  on  it.  They  ap- 
proached it  and  stood  looking  it  over  when  a  man 
came  out  of  the  house  near  by. 


TOO  LATE 


203 


"Hey."  he  hailed,  advancing  upon  them. 
"What  you  trespassing  for?" 

"Are  we?"  inquired  Ralph,  with  a  pleasant 
smile.     "We  mean  no  harm." 

"Dunno  about  that,"  said  the  farmer  sus- 
piciously.    r'Was  you  here  last  night?" 

"Oh,  no,"  answered  Ralph. 

"Well,  what  do  you  want?" 

"I  was  sort  of  interested  in  this  old  car,"  an- 
nounced Ralph. 

"Why  so?"  demanded  Kane. 

"Well,  we  are  looking  for  a  car  that  floated 
down  the  creek  here  about  five  years  ago." 

"For  the  railroad?"  asked  the  farmer. 

"In  a  way,  yes,  in  a  way,  no." 

"Does  the  railroad  want  to  take  it  away  from 
me?" 

"Certainly  not.  They  would  like  to  know, 
though,  if  it  is  a  car  of  the  Southern  Air  Line 
and  numbered  9176." 

"You've  got  it,  lad.  This  was  just  that  car. 
What's  the  amazing  interest  in  it  all  of  a  sudden? 
Look  here,"  and  he  took  them  around  to  the  other 
side  of  the  car.  "Last  night  two  boy?  can:e  here; 
my  son  saw  them  hanging  around  here.  Then 
they  disappeared.  This  morning  I  found  the  car 
that  way." 

Ralph  and  Zeph  stared  in  astonishment.  A  four- 


204  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

foot  space  of  the  boards  on  the  outside  of  the  car 
had  been  torn  away.  At  one  point  there  was  a 
jagged  break  in  the  inside  sheathing.  In  a  flash 
the  same  idea  occurred  to  both  of  them. 

''Too  late!"  groaned  poor  Zeph.  "Some  one 
has  been  here  and  the  diamonds  are  gone." 

Ralph  was  stupefied.  lie  remembered  the 
rustling  in  the  bushes  when  they  were  discussing 
their  plans  the  day  previous.  He  believed  that 
their  conversation  had  been  overheard  by  some 
one. 

Ralph  asked  the  man  to  send  for  his  son,  which 
he  did,  and  Ralph  interrogated  him  closely.  The 
result  was  a  sure  conviction  that  Ike  Slump  and 
Mort  Bemis  had  secured  the  diamonds  hidden  in 
the  box  car  about  five  years  previous. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  MAD  ENGINEER 

"WEEE,  good-bye,  Zeph." 

"Good-bye,  Ralph.  Another  of  my  wild 
dreams  of  wealth  gone." 

"Don't  fret  about  it,  Zeph." 

"How  can  I  help  it?" 

Ralph  had  decided  to  return  home.  He  was 
now  fully  recuperated,  and  his  vacation  period 
would  expire  in  a  few  days. 

It  was  the  evening  of  the  day  when  they  had 
discovered  the  missing  box  car  only  to  find  that 
others  had  discovered  it  before  them.  Ralph  had 
arranged  to  flag  a  freight  at  the  terminus  of  the 
Short  Line  Route  and  was  down  at  the  tracks 
awaiting  its  coming. 

The  freight  arrived,  Ralph  clambered  to  the 
cab,  waved  his  hand  in  adieu  to  Zeph,  and  was 
warmly  welcomed  by  his  friends  on  the  engine. 

They  had  proceeded  only  a  short  distance  when 
a  boy  came  running  down  an  embankment.     So 

205 


2o6  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGI.XE 

rapid  and  reckless  was  his  progress  that  Ralph 
feared  he  would  land  under  the  locomotive.  The 
lad,  however,  grasped  the  step  of  the  cab,  and  was 
dragged  dangerously  near  to  the  wheels.  Ralph 
seized  him  just  in  time  and  pulled  him  up  into  the 
cab. 

"Well!"  commented  the  engineer,  "it's  a  good 
thing  we  were  "going  slow.  Here,  land  out  as  you 
landed  in,  kid." 

"Please  don't,"  cried  the  boy,  gazing  back  with 
tear-filled  eyes  and  trembling  all  over.  "Please 
let  me  ride  with  you." 

"Against  the  rules." 

"See,  there  they  are!"  almost  shrieked  the  boy, 
pointing  to  two  men  who  came  rushing  down  the 
embankment.     "Oh,  don't  let  them  get  me." 

"Give  him  a  show  till  I  learn  his  story,"  said 
Ralph  to  the  engineer,  so  the  latter  put  on  steam 
and  the  two  men  were  outdistanced. 

"Oh,  thank  you.  thank  you!"  panted  the  boy. 
clinging  close  to  Ralph. 

"Come  up  on  the  water  tank,"  said  Ralph,  "and 
I'll  have  a  talk  with  you." 

The  lad,  whom  the  young  fireman  had  be- 
friended, was  a  forlorn-looking  being.  He  wore 
no  shoes,  was  hatless,  and  had  on  a  coat  many 
sizes  too  large  for  him. 

"Now    then,    what's    the    trouble?"    inquired 


THE  MAD  ENGINEER 


207 


Ralph,  when  they  were  both  seated  on  the  water 
tank. 

"Those  men  were  pursuing  me,"  said  the  lad. 

"What  for?" 

"I  was  running  away  from  them.  They  are 
my  uncles,  and  they  have  been  very  wicked  and 
cruel  to  me.  They  want  to  send  me  to  a  reform 
school  to  get  rid  of  me,  and  locked  me  up.  I  ran 
away  this  morning,  but  they  got  trace  of  me 
again." 

"What  is  your  name?" 

"Earl  Danvers.  My  father  died  and  left  them 
my  guardians.  They  are  after  the  property,  I 
guess." 

"What  do  you  propose  to  do  ?" 

"Oh,  anything  to  get  away  from  them." 

Ralph  talked  for  quite  a  while  with  the  boy  and 
learned  his  entire  history.     Then  he  said : 

"This  is  a  case  for  a  lawyer.  Would  you  like 
to  come  to  Stanley  Junction  with  me  and  have  a 
lawyer  look  into  the  matter  for  you?" 

"No.  I  only  want  to  escape  from  those  bad 
men." 

"That  will  follow.  You  come  with  me.  I  will 
interest  myself  in  your  case  and  see  that  you  are 
protected." 

"How  kind  you  are — you  are  the  only  friend  I 


2o8  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

ever  knew,"  cried  the  boy,  bursting  into  tears  of 
gratitude. 

Ralph  took  Earl  Danvers  home  with  him  when 
they  reached  Stanley  Junction.  His  kind-hearted 
mother  was  at  once  interested  in  the  forlorn 
refugee.  They  managed  to  fit  him  out  with  some 
comfortable  clothing,  and  Ralph  told  him  to  take 
a  rest  of  a  few  days,  when  he  would  have  him 
see  their  lawyer  and  tell  him  his  story. 

Two  days  later  the  young  fireman  reported  at 
the  roundhouse  for  duty,  and  the  ensuing  morn- 
ing started  on  a  new  term  of  service  as  fireman  of 
the  Limited  Mail. 

The  first  trip  out  Griscom  was  engineer.  Ralph 
noticed  that  he  looked  pale  and  worried.  The  run 
to  the  city  was  made  in  a  way  quite  unusual  with 
the  brisk  and  lively  veteran  railroader.  Ralph 
waited  until  they  were  on  their  way  home  from 
the  roundhouse  that  evening.     Then  he  said : 

"Mr.  Griscom,  you  have  not  been  your  usual 
self  to-day." 

"That's  title,  lad,"  nodded  the  engineer  gravely. 

"Anything  the  matter  especially?" 

"Oh,  a  little  extra  care  on  my  mind  and  under 
the  weather  a  bit  besides,"  sighed  Griscom. 

"Can  1  help  you  in  any  way?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"No,  lad — we  must  all  bear  our  own  troubles." 


THE  MAD  ENGINEER 


209 


The  next  day  Griscom  did  not  report  for  duty 
at  train  time.  A  man  named  Lyle  was  put  on 
extra  duty.  Ralph  did  not  know  him  very  well 
nor  did  he  like  him  much.  He  understood  that 
he  was  a  fine  engineer  but  that  he  had  been 
warned  several  times  for  drinking. 

As  he  came  into  the  cab,  Ralph  noticed  that  his 
eyes  were  dull  and  shifty,  his  hands  trembled  and 
he  bore  all  the  appearance  of  a  man  who  had  been 
recently  indulging  in  liquor  to  excess. 

As  soon  as  they  were  out  on  the  road,  Lyle 
began  to  drink  frequently  from  a  bottle  he  took 
out  of  his  coat.  He  became  more  steady  in  his 
movements,  and,  watching  him,  Ralph  saw  that 
he  understood  his  business  thoroughly  and  was 
duly  attentive  to  it. 

After  the  wait  at  the  city,  however,  Lyle  came 
aboard  of  the  locomotive  in  quite  a  muddled  con- 
dition. He  was  talkative  and  boastful  now.  He 
began  to  tell  of  the  many  famous  special  runs  he 
had  made,  of  the  big  salaries  he  had  earned,  and 
of  his  general  proficiency  as  a  first-class  engineer. 

He  ordered  full  steam  on,  and  by  the  time  they 
were  twenty  miles  from  the  city  he  kept  the  loco- 
motive going  at  top  notch  speed.  There  was  a 
tremendous  head  on  the  cylinders  and  they  ran 
like  a  racer.  Frogs  and  target  rods  were  passed 
at  a  momentum  that  fairly  frightened  Ralph,  and 


210  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

it  was  a  wonder  to  him  the  way  the  wheels  ground 
and  bounded  that  they  always  lit  on  the  steel. 

Lyle  took  frequent  drinks  from  the  bottle, 
which  had  been  replenished.  His  eyes  were  wild, 
his  manner  reckless,  almost  maniacal.  As  they 
passed  signals  he  would  utter  a  fierce,  ringing  yell. 
Ralph  crowded  over  to  him. 

"Mr.  Lyle,"  he  shouted,  "we  are  ahead  of 
time." 

"Good,"  roared  the  mad  engineer,  "I'm  going 
to  make  the  record  run  of  the  century." 

"If  any  other  train  is  off  schedule,  that  is 
dangerous." 

"Let  'em  look  out  for  themselves,"  chuckled 
Lyle.     "Whoop!  pile  in  the  black  diamonds." 

"Stop!"  almost  shrieked  Ralph. 

Of  a  sudden  he  made  a  fearful  discovery.  A 
signal  had  called  for  a  danger  stop  where  the 
Great  Northern  crossed  the  tracks  of  the  Midland 
Central.  Unheeding  the  signal,  Lyle  had  run  di- 
rectly onto  a  siding  of  the  latter  railroad  and  was 
traversing  it  at  full  speed. 

"Stop,  stop,  I  say — there's  a  car  ahead,"  cried 
Ralph. 

Lyle  gave  the  young  fireman  a  violent  push 
backwards  and  forged  ahead. 

Chug!  bang!    A  frightful  sound  filled  the  air. 


THE  MAD  ENGINEER  2II 

The  locomotive  had  struck  a  light  gondola  car 
squarely,  lifting  it  from  the  track  and  throwing  it 
to  one  side  a  mass  of  wreckage.  Then  on,  on 
sped  the  engine.  It  struck  the  main  of  the  Mid^ 
land  Central. 

Ralph  grabbed  up  a  shovel. 

"Lower  speed,"  he  cried,  "or  I  will  strike  you." 

"Get  back,"  yelled  Lyle,  pulling  a  revolver  from 
his  pocket.  "Back,  I  say,  or  I'll  shoot.  Whoop! 
this  is  going." 

Ralph  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  tender.  He  was 
powerless  alone  to  combat  the  engineer  in  his  mad 
fury.  A  plan  came  into  his  mind.  The  first  car 
attached  to  the  tender  was  a  blind  baggage.  Ralph 
sprang  to  its  roof.  Then  he  ran  back  fast  as  he 
could. 

The  young  fireman  lost  no  time,  dropping  from 
the  roof  between  platforms.  As  he  reached  the 
first  passenger  coach  he  ran  inside  the  car. 

Passengers  were  on  their  feet,  amazed  and 
alarmed  at  the  reckless  flight  of  the  train.  The 
conductor  and  train  hands  were  pale  and  fright- 
ened. 

"What's  the  trouble  ?"  demanded  the  conductor, 
as  Ralph  rushed  up  to  him. 

"A  maniac  is  in  charge  of  the  train.  He  is 
crazed  with  drink,  and  armed.  Who  of  you  will 
join  me  in  trying  to  overpower  him?" 


212  RALPH  OX  THE  EXCIXE 

None  of  the  train  hands  shrank  from  duty. 
They  followed  Ralph  to  the  platform  and  thence 
to  the  top  of  the  forward  coach.  At  that  moment 
new  warnings  came. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A  NEW  MYSTERY 

"Danger,"  shouted  Ralph.  "Quick,  men.  Do 
you  see  ahead  there?" 

Down  the  rails  a  red  signal  fuse  was  splutter- 
ing. It  was  quite  a  distance  away,  bat  they  would 
reach  it  in  less  than  sixty  seconds  if  the  present 
fearful  speed  of  the  train  was  kept  up. 

"Hear  that?"  roared  the  conductor  in  a  hoarse, 
frightened  tone. 

Under  the  wheels  there  rang  out  a  sharp  crack, 
audible  even  above  the  roar  of  the  rushing  train — 
a  track  torpedo. 

Ralph  ran  across  the  top  of  the  forward  car. 
As  he  reached  its  front  end,  Lyle  turning  dis- 
covered him. 

He  set  up  a  wild  yell,  reached  into  the  tender, 
seized  a  big  sledgehammer  lying  there  and  braced 
back. 

The  young  fireman  was  amazed  and  fairly  ter- 
rified at  his  movements,  for  Lyle  began  raining 

213 


214  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

blows  on  lever,  throttle  and  everything  in  the  way 
of  machinery  inside  of  the  cab. 

Past  the  red  light,  blotting  it  out,  sped  the  train, 
turning  a  curve.  Ralph  anticipated  a  waiting  or 
a  coming  train,  but,  to  his  relief,  the  rails  were 
clear.  Ahead,  however,  there  was  a  great  glow, 
and  he  now  understood  what  the  warnings  meant. 

The  road  at  this  point  for  two  miles  ran 
through  a  marshy  forest,  and  this  was  all  on  fire. 
Ralph  gained  the  tender. 

"Back,  back!"  roared  Lyle,  facing  him,  weapon 
in  hand.  "She's  fixed  to  go,  can't  stop  her  now. 
Whoop!" 

With  deep  concern  the  young  fireman  noted  the. 
disabled  machinery. 

Half-way  between  centers,  the  big  steel  bar  on 
the  engineer's  side  of  the  locomotive  had  snapped 
in  two  and  was  tearing  through  the  cab  like  a 
Mail,  at  every  revolution  of  the  driver  to  which 
it  was  attached. 

Just  as  Ralph  jumped  down  from  the  tender, 
the  locomotive  entered  the  fire  belt — in  a  minute 
more  the  train  was  in  the  midst  of  a  great  sweep- 
ing mass  of  fire.  The  train  crew,  blinded  and 
singed,  retreated.  Ralph  trembled  at  a  sense  of 
the  terrible  peril  that  menaced. 

Lyle  had  drawn  back  from  the  lever  or  he 
would  have  been  annihilated.     Then  as  the  fire 


A  NEW  MYSTERY  215 

swept  into  his  face,  he  uttered  a  last  frightful  yell, 
gave  a  spring  and  landed  somewhere  along  the 
side  of  the  track. 

The  young  fireman  was  fairly  appalled.  Such 
a  situation  he  had  never  confronted  before.  The 
cab  was  ablaze  in  a  dozen  different  places.  The 
tops  of  the  cars  behind  had  also  ignited.  Ralph 
did  not  know  what  to  do.  Even  if  he  could  have 
stopped  the  train,  it  would  be  destruction  to  do  so 
now. 

Suddenly  the  locomotive  dove  through  the  last 
fire  stretch.  Ahead  somewhere  Ralph  caught  the 
fierce  blast  of  a  locomotive  shrieking  for  orders. 
For  life  or  death  the  train  must  be  stopped. 

He  flew  towards  the  throttle  but  could  not 
reach  it  safely.  The  'great  bar  threatened  death. 
Twice  he  tried  to  reach  the  throttle  and  drew 
back  in  time  to  escape  the  descending  bar.  At  a 
third  effort  he  managed  to  slip  the  latch  of  the 
throttle,  but  received  a  fearful  graze  of  one  hand. 
Then,  exhausted  from  exertion  and  excitement, 
the  young  fireman  saw  the  locomotive  slow  down 
not  a  hundred  yards  from  a  stalled  train. 

The  passenger  coaches  were  soon  vacated  by 
the  passengers,  while  the  train  crew  beat  out  the 
flames  where  the  cars  were  on  fire. 

The  Limited  Mail  made  no  return  trip  to  Stan- 
ley Junction  that  night.     The  following  morning, 


2\G  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

however,  when  the  swamp  fire  had  subsided,  the 
train  was  taken  hack  to  the  Great  Northern  and 
then  to  terminus. 

Lyle,  the  engineer,  was  found  badly  burned  ami 
delirious  in  the  swamp,  where  he  would  have 
perished  only  for  the  water  in  which  he  landed 
when  lie  jumped  from  the  locomotive  cab.  He 
was  taken  to  a  hospital. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  the  latest 
exploit  of  the  young  fireman  of  the  Limited  Mail, 
and  Ralph  did  not  suffer  any  in  the  estimation  of 
the  railroad  people  and  his  many  friends. 

One  evening  he  came  home  from  an  interview 
with  a  local  lawyer  concerning  the  interests  of 
his  young  friend,  Earl  Danvers. 

Ralph  felt  quite  sanguine  that  he  could  obtain 
redress  for  Earl  from  his  heartless  relations,  and 
was  thinking  about  it  when  he  discovered  his 
mother  pacing  up  and  down  the  front  walk  of 
the  house  in  an  agitated,  anxious  way. 

"Why,  mother,"  said  Ralph,  "you  look  very 
much  distressed." 

"I  am  so,  truly."  replied  Mrs.  Fairbanks. 
"Ralph,  we  have  met  with  a  great  loss." 

"What  do  you  mean,  mother?" 

"The  house  has  been  burglarized." 

"When?" 

"Some  time  during  the  past  three  hours.    I  was 


A  NEW  MYSTERY 


217 


on  a  visit  to  a  sick  neighbor,  and  returned  to  dis- 
cover the  rear  door  open.  I  went  inside,  and  all 
the  papers  in  the  cabinet  and  some  money  we  had 
there  were  gone." 

"The  papers?"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

"Yes,  every  document  concerning  our  claim 
against  Gasper  Farrington  is  missing." 

"But  what  of  Earl  Danvers?"  inquired  Ralph. 
"Was  he  away  from  home?" 

"He  was  when  I  left,  but  he  must  have  returned 
during  my  absence." 

"How  do  you  know  that?"  asked  Ralph. 

"The  cap  he  wore  when  he  went  away  I  found 
near  the  cabinet." 

Ralph  looked  serious  and  troubled. 

"I  hope  we  have  not  been  mistaken  in  believing 
Earl  to  be  an  honest  boy,"  he  said,  and  his  mother 
only  sighed. 

Then  Ralph  began  investigating.  The  rear 
door,  he  found,  had  been  forced  open.  All  the 
rooms  and  closets  had  been  ransacked. 

"This  is  pretty  serious,  mother,"  he  remarked. 

Earl  Danvers  did  not  return  that  day.  This 
troubled  and  puzzled  Ralph.  He  could  not  believe 
the  boy  to  be  an  accomplice  of  Farrington,  nor 
could  he  believe  that  he  was  the  thief. 

Next  morning  Ralph  reported  the  loss  to  the 
town  marshal.    When  he  went  down  the  road,  he 


2i 8  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

threw  off  a  note  where  the  men  were  working  on 
the  Short  Line  Route  at  its  junction  with  the 
Great  Northern.  It  was  directed  to  Zeph  Dallas, 
and  in  the  note  Ralph  asked  his  friend  to  look  up 
the  two  uncles  of  Earl  Danvers  and  learn  all  he 
could  about  the  latter. 

It  was  two  nights  later  when  Mrs.  Fairbanks 
announced  to  Ralph  quite  an  important  discovery. 
In  cleaning  house  she  had  noticed  some  words 
penciled  on  the  wall  near  the  cabinet.  They  com- 
prised a  mere  scrawl,  as  if  written  under  difficulty, 
and  ran: 

"Earl  prisoner.  Two  boys  stealing  things  in 
house.     Get  the  old  coat  I  wore." 

"Why,  what  can  this  mean?"  said  Ralph.  "Earl 
certainly  wrote  this.  A  prisoner?  two  boys?  the 
thieves?  Get  the  old  coat ?  He  means  the  one  he 
wore  when  he  came  here.  What  can  that  have 
to  do  with  this  business?  Mother,  where  is  the 
coat  ?" 

"Why,  Ralph,"  replied  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  "J.  sold 
it  to  a  rag  man  last  week." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE  FREIGHT  THIEVES 

Two  days  later  Zeph  Dallas  came  to  Stanley 
Junction  to  purchase  some  supplies  for  Mr.  Gib- 
son's construction  camp.  In  the  evening  he  called 
at  the  Fairbanks  home.  The  farmer  boy  had 
located  the  relatives  of  Earl  Danvers,  and  his  re- 
port verified  the  story  of  the  latter,  who  had  dis- 
appeared from  home,  and,  according  to  his  uncles, 
his  whereabouts  was  unknown  to  them. 

Ralph  related  the  story  of  the  burglary,  and 
Zeph  was  at  once  interested.  He  believed  that 
some  mystery  of  importance  was  attached  to  the 
old  coat.  When  he  had  gone  away  Ralph  got  to 
thinking  this  over. 

"Mother,"  he  asked,  "do  you  know  the  man 
to  whom  you  sold  that  old  coat?" 

"Why,  yes,"  replied  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  "He  is 
the  man  who  goes  around  with  an  old  wagon 
visiting  the  different  country  towns  in  this  district 
in  turn." 

219 


220  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

Ralph  made  some  inquiries,  and  ascertained  that 
the  peddler  in  question  made  his  headquarters  at 
Dover.  He  resolved  upon  opportunity  to  visit 
the  man  at  a  near  date,  although  it  was  probable 
that  the  coat  with  the  rags  sold  with  it  had  been 
sent  to  some  mill.  A  few  days  later  Zeph  came 
again  to  Stanley  Junction  and  Ralph  told  him 
about  the  peddler. 

For  a  time  after  this,  affairs  ran  on  smoothly 
for  the  Limited  Mail  and  her  experienced  crew, 
and  Ralph  had  settled  clown  to  a  quiet  enjoyment 
of  congenial  employment  when  there  occurred  a 
break  in  the  routine  that  once  more  placed  him  in 
a  position  of  peril. 

One  day  as  he  returned  from  the  city  run,  the 
roundhouse  foreman  informed  him  that  he  was  to 
report  at  the  office  of  the  master  mechanic.  Ralph 
did  not  go  home,  but  went  at  once  to  answer  the 
summons. 

The  master  mechanic  was  his  good  friend  and 
received  him  with  his  usual  cordiality. 

"Fairhanks,"  he  said,  "you  are  pretty  well 
known  to  the  officers  of  the  road,  and  favorably, 
too,  I  suppose  you  know  that." 

"It  is  a  pleasure  to  have  you  say  so,"  answered 
the  young  fireman. 

"They  seem  especially  to  value  your  ability  in 
running    down    crookedness    and    ferreting    rut 


THE  FREIGHT  THIEVES  22l 

criminals,"  pursued  the  master  mechanic.  "The 
superintendent  wired  me  to-day  to  have  one  road 
detective  start  out  on  a  certain  case.  I  wired  back 
that  Mr.  Adair  was  engaged  in  a  special  case  in 
the  city.  The  return  was  to  relieve  you  of  regular 
duty  and  have  you  report  at  Afton  this  after- 
noon." 

Ralph  nodded  to  indicate  that  he  understood, 
but  he  said : 

"I  do  not  like  these  interruptions  to  routine 
duty,  but  I  suppose  the  company  knows  where  it 
most  needs  a  fellow." 

Ralph  went  down  the  road  shortly  after  noon. 
He  reached  Afton  and  reported  at  once  to  the 
assistant  superintendent. 

"I  have  ordered  a  substitute  fireman  on  the 
Mail  for  a  week,  Fairbanks,"  said  that  official. 
"I  think  we  shall  engage  your  services  for  that 
length  of  time." 

"Is  it  some  particular  case,  sir?"  asked  Ralph. 

"A  very  important  case,  yes.  "We  seem  to  have 
got  rid  of  incompetent  employes  and  strikers, 
thanks  to  you  and  others  who  stood  by  the  com- 
pany in  time  of  trouble.  There  is  one  thing,  how- 
ever, that  is  bothering  us.  It  bothers  every  road 
more  or  less,  but  we  won't  have  it." 

Ralph  waited  for  a  further  explanation. 

"Freight    thieves,    Fairbanks,"    continued    the 


222  RALPH  OX  THE  EXCIXE 

official.  "Some  gang  is  regularly  stealing  from 
the  road.  When,  where  and  how  it  is  done  we 
have  been  unable  to  ascertain.  A  train  will  leave 
the  city  or  the  Junction,  arrive  at  terminus,  ana 
some  valuable  package  will  be  missing.  The  car 
seals  will  be  all  right,  no  one  seems  to  have  en- 
tered the  car,  and  yet  the  pilfering  goes  on.  Will 
you  help  us  run  down  the  thieves?" 

"I  will  try,"  answered  Ralph.  "What  trains 
seem  to  suffer  most?" 

"Always  the  night  freights."  replied  the  assist- 
ant superintendent.  "Now,  take  your  time,  spare 
no  expense,  and  go  to  work  on  this  problem  in 
your  usual  effective  way." 

Ralph  devoted  the  remainder  of  the  day  to 
going  up  and  down  the  road  and  familiarizing 
himself  with  the  various  freight  trains  and  their 
schedules. 

Just  after  dark  he  clambered  into  the  cab  of 
the  night  freight  leaving  the  city.  It  was  a  dark, 
sleety  night,  for  cold  weather  had  just  set  in. 

The  engineer  was  a  tried  and  trusty  veteran  in 
the  service.  Ralph  felt  that  he  understood  him, 
and  that  he  must  trust  him  to  a  degree  in  order  to 
facilitate  his  own  programme.  He  waited  till  the 
fireman  was  busy  outside  on  the  engine,  then  he 
spoke  to  the  old  engineer. 


THE  FREIGHT  THIEVES 


223 


"Mr.  Barton,  I  am  on  special  duty  here  to- 
night." 

"That  so,  lad?"  inquired  the  engineer. 

"Yes,  I  suppose  you  know  there  is  a  good  deal 
of  missing  freight  in  these  night  runs." 

"I  heard  so,"  answered  Barton,  "but  you  see 
that  is  the  business  of  the  conductor,  so  I  haven't 
much  troubled  myself  about  it." 

"Still,  you  don't  care  to  have  these  things  occur 
in  your  runs." 

"Should  say  not!  Working  on  the  case,  Fair- 
banks?" 

"Frankly,  yes,  Mr.  Barton,  and  I  want  you  to 
keep  it  quiet,  but  assist  me  when  you  can.  I  will 
be  all  over  the  train  and  the  car  tops  to-night,  and 
wanted  to  explain  why  to  you." 

"That's  all  right,  lad.  Just  call  on  me  if  I  can 
help  you.  Hello,  you.  Woods!"  bawled  the  en- 
gineer suddenly  to  a  fellow  who  appeared  near 
the  cab  side,  "what  you  doing  there?" 

The  man  slunk  out  of  view  at  being  addressed, 
with  a  muttered  remark  that  it  was  his  own  busi- 
ness. 

"Don't  like  that  fellow — caboose  look-out," 
explained  Barton. 

"I  hope  he  did  not  overhear  our  conversation," 
spoke  Ralph. 

About  mid-way  of  the  train  there  was  a  gondola 


224  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

oil  car.  It  had  an  elevated  runway  so  that  train 
hands  could  pass  over  it  readily.  Ralph  selected 
this  car  as  a  vantage  point,  and  got  aboard  as  the 
train  started  on  its  way  for  Stanley  Junction. 

He  was  dressed  as  a  tramp,  looked  the  char- 
acter completely,  and  the  false  moustache  he  wore 
effectually  changed  his  face  so  that  no  persons 
except  familiar  friends  would  easily  recognize 
him. 

Ralph  got  down  at  one  side  of  the  big  oil  tank. 
For  the  next  hour  he  remained  quiet.  Finally,  as 
a  brakeman  passed  over  the  platform,  he  climbed 
up  and  kept  track  of  his  movements. 

The  man,  however,  simply  passed  up  and  flown 
the  train  and  then  returned  to  the  caboose.  Then 
there  was  a  stop.  Ralph  leaned  from  the  car  and 
looked  up  and  down  the  train. 

"Why,"  exclaimed  Ralph  suddenly,  "there  is 
that  fellow  Woods  working  at  the  doors  of  the 
cars  a  little  ahead  there." 

The  brakeman  in  question  now  came  down  the 
length  of  the  train.  The  engine  was  taking  water. 
He  halted  almost  opposite  the  car  Ralph  was 
hiding  on.  Suddenly  he  uttered  a  low,  sharp 
whistle,  and  it  was  answered.  Three  men  ap- 
peared from  the  side  of  the  track,  spoke  to  him, 
bounded  up  on  to  the  oil  car,  and  crouched  down 
so  near  to  Ralph  that  he  could  almost  touch  them. 


THE  FREIGHT  THIEJ'ES 


225 


Woods  stood  on  the  next  track  with  his  lantern 
?s  if  waiting  for  the  train  to  start  up. 

"Cars  marked,"  he  spoke.  "I'll  flash  the  glim 
when  the  coast  is  clear.  You'll  know  the  cases  I 
told  you  about." 

There  was  no  response.  The  locomotive 
whistled,  and  the  brakeman  ran  back  to  the  ca- 
boose. Ralph  lay  perfectly  still.  The  three  men 
sat  up  against  the  railing  of  the  car. 

"Got  the  keys  to  the  car  ventilators?"  asked  one 
of  the  men,  finally. 

"Sure,"  was  the  response.  "Say,  fellows,  we 
want  to  be  wary.  This  is  a  clever  game  of  ours, 
but  I  hear  that  the  railroad  company  is  watching 
out  pretty  close." 

"Oh,  they  can't  reach  us,"  declared  another 
voice,  "with  Woods  taking  care  of  the  broken 
seals,  and  all  kinds  of  duplicate  keys,  we  can 
puzzle  them  right  along." 

Just  then  one  of  them  arose  to  his  feet.  He 
stumbled  heavily  over  Ralph. 

"Hello!"  he  veiled,  "who  is  this?" 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

A    PRISONER 

The  three  men  almost  instantly  confronted 
Ralph,  and  one  of  them  seized  him,  holding  him 
firmly. 

Ralph  quickly  decided  on  his  course  of  action. 
He  yawned  in  the  face  of  the  speaker  and  drawled 
sleepily : 

"What  are  you  waking  a  fellow  up  for?" 

One  held  Ralph,  another  lit  a  match.  They 
were  rough,  but  shrewd  fellows.  Instantly  one  of 
them  said  : 

"Disguised!"  and  he  pulled  off  Ralph's  false 
moustache.  "That  means  a  spy.  Fellows,  how 
can  we  tell  Woods?" 

"S — sh  !"  warned  a  companion — "no  names. 
Now,  young  fellow,  who  are  you?" 

But  "young  fellow"  was  gone!  In  a  Hash 
Ralph  comprehended  that  he  was  in  a  bad  fix,  his 
usefulness  on  the  scene  gone.  In  a  twinkling  he 
had  jerked  free  from  the  grasp  of  the  man  who 
held  him,  had  sprung  to  the  platform  of  the  oil 
car  and  thence  to  the  roof  of  the  next  box  car. 

226 


A  PRISONER 


227 


Almost  immediately  his  recent  captor  was  after 
him.  It  was  now  for  Ralph  a  race  to  the  engine 
and  his  friend  Barton. 

The  running  boards  were  covered  with  sleet  and 
as  slippery  as  glass,  yet  Ralph  forged  ahead.  He 
could  hear  the  short  gasps  for  breath  of  a  deter- 
mined pursuer  directly  behind  him. 

''Got  you !"  said  a  quick  voice.  Its  owner 
stumbled,  his  head  struck  the  young  fireman  and 
Ralph  was  driven  from  the  running  board. 

He  was  going  at  such  a  momentum  that  in  no 
way  could  he  check  himself,  but  slid  diagonally 
across  the  roof  of  the  car.  There  destruction 
seemed  to  face  him. 

His  pursuer  had  fallen  flat  on  the  running 
board.  Ralph  dropped  flat  also,,  clutching  vainly 
at  space.  His  fingers  tore  along  the  thin  sheeting 
of  ice.     He  reached  the  edge  of  the  car  roof. 

For  one  moment  the  young  fireman  clung  there. 
Then  quick  as  a  flash  he  slipped  one  hand  down. 
It  was  to  hook  his  fingers  into  the  top  slide  bar  of 
the  car's  side  door.  The  action  drew  back  the 
door  about  an  inch.  It  was  unlocked.  Ralph 
dropped  his  other  hold  lightning-quick,  thrust  his 
hand  into  the  interstice,  pushed  the  door  still 
further  back,  and  precipitated  himself  forward 
across  the  floor  of  an  empty  box  car. 

There  he  lay,  done  up,  almost  terrified  at  the 


228  RALPH  ON  THE  ENGINE 

crowding  perils  of  the  instant,  marveling  at  his 
wonderful  escape  from  death. 

"They  must  think  I  went  clear  to  the  ground," 
theorized  Ralph.  "I  am  safe  for  the  present,  at 
least.  What  an  adventure!  And  Woods  is  in 
league  with  the  freight  thieves!  That  solves  the 
problem  for  the  railroad  company. 

"An  empty  car,"  he  said,  as  he  finally  struggled 
to  his  feet.  "I'll  wait  till  the  train  stops  again 
and  then  run  ahead  to  Barton.  Hello!"  he  ex- 
claimed sharply,  as  moving  about  the  car,  his  foot 
came  in  contact  with  some  ohject. 

Ralph  stood  perfectly  still.  He  could  hear  deep, 
regular  breathing,  as  of  some  one  asleep.  His 
curiosity  impelled  him  to  investigate  farther.  He 
took  a  match  from  his  pocket,  flared  it,  and 
peered  down. 

Directly  in  one  corner  of  the  car  lay  a  big, 
powerful  man.  He  was  dressed  in  rags.  His  coat 
was  open,  and  under  it  showed  a  striped  shirt. 

"Why!"  exclaimed  Ralph,  "a  convict — an  es- 
caped convict!" 

The  man  grasped  in  one  hand,  as  if  on  guard 
with  a  weapon  of  defense,  a  pair  of  handcuffs 
connected  with  a  long,  heavy  steel  chain.  Appar- 
ently he  had  in  some  way  freed  himself  from 
these. 

Ralph  flared  a  second  match   to  make  a  still 


A  PRISONER 


229 


closer  inspection  of  the  man.  This  aroused  the 
sleeper.  He  moved,  opened  his  eyes  suddenly, 
saw  Ralph,  and  with  a  frightful  yell  sprang  up. 

"I've  got  you!"  he  said,  seizing  Ralph.  "After 
me,  are  you?  Hold  still,  or  I'll  throttle  you.  How 
near  are  the  people  who  sent  you  on  my  trail?" 

"I  won't  risk  that,"  shouted  the  man  wildly. 

In  a  twinkling  he  had  slipped  the  handcuffs 
over  Ralph's  wrists.  The  latter  was  a  prisoner  so 
strangely  that  he  was  more  curious  than  alarmed. 

"Going  to  stop,  are  they?"  pursued  the  man,  as 
there  was  some  whistling  ahead.  "Mind  you, 
now,  get  off  when  I  do.  Don't  try  to  call,  and 
don't  try  to  run  away,  or  I'll  kill  you." 

The  train  stopped  and  Ralph's  companion 
pulled  back  the  door.  He  got  out,  forcing  Ralph 
with  him,  and  proceeded  directly  into  the  timber 
lining  the  railroad,  never  pausing  till  he  had 
reached  a  desolate  spot  near  a  shallow  creek. 

Then  the  man  ordered  a  halt.  He  sat  down  on 
the  ground  and  forced  his  captive  to  follow  his 
example 

"Who  are  you?"  he  demanded  roughly. 

"I  am  Ralph  Fairbanks,  a  fireman  on  the  Great 
Northern  Railroad,"  promptly  explained  the 
young  fireman. 

"Do  you  know  me?" 

"I  infer  from  these  handcuffs  and  vour  under 


230  ralph  ox  run  engine 

uniform  that  you  are  an  escaped  convict,"  an- 
swered Ralph. 

"Know  a  good  many  people,  do  you?" 

"Why.  yes,  I  do,"  answered  Ralph. 

"Where  is  Stanley  Junction?" 

"About  forty  miles  north  of  here.   I  live  there." 

"You  do?  you  do?"  cried  the  convict,  springing 
up  in  a  state  of  intense  excitement.  "Here,  lad, 
don't  think  me  harsh  or  mean,  or  cruel,  but  you 
have  got  to  stay  with  me.  You  would  betray  me 
to  the  police." 

"No,  I  would  not,"  declared  Ralph. 

"You  would,  I  know — it's  human  nature. 
There  is  a  big  reward  out  for  me.  Then,  too,  you 
know  people.     Yes,  you  must  stay  with  me." 

"I  can't  help  you  any — why  should  you  detain 
me?"  insisted  Ralph. 

"I  must  find  a  man,"  cried  the  convict,  more 
wildly  than  ever — "or  you  must  find  him  for  me." 

"What  man  is  that?"  spoke  Ralph. 

"Do  you  know  a  Mr.  Gasper  Farrington?" 

"Quite  well,"  answered  Ralph,  rather  startled 
at  the  question. 

"That  is  the  man!"  shouted  the  convict. 

"And  that  is  singular,  for  I  am  very  anxious 
myself  to  find  that  same  individual."  said  the 
young  fireman. 


A  PRISONER  23I 

Ralph  felt  that  he  was  in  the  midst  of  a  series 
of  strange  adventures  and  discoveries  that  might 
lead  to  important  results,  not  only  for  the  person 
he  had  so  strangely  met,  but  for  himself,  as  well. 

This  impression  was  enforced  as  he  watched  his 
captor  pace  up  and  down  the  ground,  muttering 
wildly.  He  seemed  to  have  some  deep-rooted 
hatred  for  Gasper  Farrington.  "Revenge,"  "Pun- 
ishment," "Justice,"  were  the  words  that  he  con- 
stantly uttered.  Ralph  wondered  what  course  he 
could  pursue  to  get  the  man  down  to  a  level  of 
coherency  and  reason.     Finally  the  man  said: 

"Come,  get  up,  we  must  find  some  shelter." 

After  an  hour  of  arduous  tramping  they  came 
to  an  old  barn  that  had  been  partly  burned  down. 
There  was  some  hay  in  it.  The  convict  lay  down 
on  this,  unloosed  one  handcuff  from  the  wrist  of 
his  prisoner,  and  attached  the  other  to  his  own 
arm  and  lay  as  if  in  a  daze  until  daybreak. 

Xow  he  could  inspect  his  prisoner  clearly,  and 
Ralph  could  study  the  worn,  frenzied  face  of  his 
captor.     The  latter  had  calmed  down  somewhat. 

"Boy,"  he  said,  finally,  "I  don't  dare  to  let  you 
go,  and  I  don't  know  what  to  do." 

"See  here,"  spoke  Ralph,  "you  are  in  deep 
trouble.  I  don't  want  to  make  you  any  more 
trouble.  Suppose  you  tell  me  all  about  yourself 
and  see  if  I  can't  help  you  out." 


2$2  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

"Oh,  I  don't  dare  to  trust  any  one,"  groaned 
the  man. 

"You  spoke  of  Gasper  Farrington,"  suggested 
Ralph.     "Is  he  an  enemy  of  yours?" 

"He  has  ruined  my  life,"  declared  the  convict. 

"And  why  do  you  seek  him?" 

"To  demand  reparation,  to  drag  him  to  the 
same  fate  he  drove  me  to.  Just  let  me  find  him 
— that  is  all  I  wish — to  meet  him  face  to  face." 

Ralph  hegan  to  quietly  tell  the  story  of  his  own 
dealings  with  the  village  magnate  of  Stanley 
Junction.  It  had  a  great  effect  upon  his  auditor. 
From  dark  distrust  and  suspicion  his  emotions 
gradually  subsided  to  interest,  and  finally  to  con- 
fidence. 

It  was  only  by  gradations  that  Ralph  led  the 
man  to  believe  that  he  was  his  friend  and  could 
help  him  in  his  difficulties. 

The  convict  told  a  pitiful  story-  Ralph  believed 
it  to  be  a  true  one.  To  further  his  own  avaricious 
ends,  Farrington  had  devised  a  villainous  plot  to 
send  the  man  to  the  penitentiary.  He  had  es- 
caped. He  had  documents  that  would  cause  Far- 
rington not  only  to  disgorge  his  ill-gotten  gains, 
but  would  send  him  to  jail. 

"I  want  to  get  to  where  those  documents  are 
hidden,"  said  the  convict.     "Then  to  find  Farring- 


A  PRISOXER 


^33 


ton,  and  I  shall  right  your  wrongs  as  well  as  my 
own." 

Ralph  reflected  deeply  over  the  matter  in  hand. 
He  resolved  on  a  course  of  proceedings  and  sub- 
mitted it  to  his  companion. 

He  offered  to  take  the  convict  to  the  isolated 
home  of  Amos  Greenleaf,  where  he  could  remain 
safely  in  retirement.  Ralph  promised  to  get  him 
comfortable  garments  and  provide  for  his  board 
and  lodging.  In  a  few  days  he  would  see  him 
again  and  help  him  to  find  Farrington. 

The  young  fireman  was  now  released  from  the 
handcuffs.  He  calculated  the  location  of  the  place 
where  Greenleaf  lived. 

"It  is  about  fifteen  miles  to  the  spot  I  told  you 
of,"  he  explained  to  the  convict. 

"Can  we  reach  it  without  being  seen  by  any 
one?"  anxiously  inquired  his  companion. 

"Yes,  I  can  take  a  route  where  we  need  not  pass 
a.  single  habitation." 

It  was  afternoon  when  they  reached  the  home 
of  old  Amos  Greenleaf. 

Ralph  experienced  no  difficulty  in  arranging 
that  the  convict  remain  there  for  a  few  days.  He 
gave  Greenleaf  some  money,  and,  promising  to 
see  the  convict  very  soon,  proceeded  to  Wilmer. 

The   young   fireman   took   the   first   train    for 


234  RALPH  OS  THE  EXGIXE 

Afton,  and  reported  what  had  occurred  to  the 
assistant  superintendent. 

Two  days  later  Woods  and  his  companions 
were  in  jail,  and  a  great  part  of  the  stolen  freight 
plunder  was  recovered. 

Woods  confessed  that  he  had  duplicated  keys 
and  seals  for  the  doors  and  ventilators  of  the 
freight  cars,  and  the  bold  thieveries  along  the 
Great  Northern  now  ceased. 

Ralph  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  a  week. 
He  decided  that  it  was  worth  while  to  try  and  find 
Gasper  Farrington.  He  went  to  the  city,  got 
certain  papers  belonging  to  the  magnate  from  Mr. 
Grant,  and  went  to  Wilmer. 

He  wras  soon  at  the  junction  of  the  Springfield 
&  Dover  Short  Cut  Railroad  and  the  Great 
Northern.  That  terminus  was  completed.  A 
neat  depot  had  been  erected,  and  on  the  tracks  of 
the  new  railroad  there  stood  a  handsome  loco- 
motive. 

"Oh,  Ralph !"  cried  Zeph  Dallas,  rushing  for- 
ward to  greet  his  friend,  as  the  young  fireman  ap- 
peared.    "Great  news!" 


CHAPTER  XXX 


THE    LOST    DIAMONDS 


"Great  news,  eh  ?"  said  Ralph. 

"You  will  say  so  when  you  hear  what  I  have 
got  to  tell  you,"  declared  Zeph  Dallas.  "Say,  I 
am  going  straight  to  headquarters.  Come  with 
me.     The  news  will  keep  till  we  get  there." 

"All  right,"  assented  Ralph.  "There  is  enough 
going  on  around  here  to  keep  a  fellow  interested." 

"The  new  railroad?"  spoke  Zeph  brightly.  "I 
should  say  so.  Isn't  it  just  famous?  I  tell  you, 
some  hustling  work  has  been  done  here  in  the  past 
few  weeks." 

Ralph  was  amazed  and  delighted  at  the  prog- 
ress made  by  the  Short  Line  Railway.  As  said, 
a  new  locomotive  was  on  the  rails  at  the  terminus, 
and  a  little  depot  had  been  built.  Workmen  were 
busy  as  far  down  the  line  as  he  could  see.  In 
fact,  everything  indicated  that  the  road  would 
soon  be  in  full  operation. 

"The  tracks  are  laid  both  ways  from  head- 
quarters, except  for  a  little  distance  on  the  Spring- 

235 


236  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGIXE 

field  side/"  said  Zeph.  "We  expect  passenger  and 
freight  cars  for  the  road  to-day,  and  on  Monday 
we  open  the  line." 

"And  in  what  capacity  will  you  appear  on  that 
grand  occasion,  Zeph?"  inquired  the  young  fire- 
man pleasantly. 

"Conductor!"  exploded  the  farmer  boy,  draw- 
ing himself  up  proudly.  "See  here;"  he  drew 
back  his  coat  and  revealed  the  biggest  and  most 
elaborate  "Conductor"  badge  manufactured.  "We 
expect  that  Earl  Danvers  will  become  our  brake- 
man." 

"Who?"  cried  Ralph  with  a  start. 

"Earl  Danvers." 

"Is  he  here?" 

"He  is  at  headquarters,"  said  Zeph.  "Don't 
bother  asking  me  about  him  now.  You  will  soon 
see  him.  and  he  will  tell  you  his  own  story.  Then, 
too,  Mr.  Gibson  wishes  to  see  you  particularly. 
Here's  our  hand-car,  jump  aboard.  We'll  spin 
along  at  a  fine  rate,  I  tell  you,  for  the  roadbed  is 
splendid." 

Ralph  found  it  so.  It  was  a  most  interesting 
journey  to  headquarters.  There  was  only  one 
track,  and  on  this  the  men  had  spent  their  energies 
to  great  advantage,  and  commendable  results 
followed. 

He  was  warmly  welcomed  by  his  f:  iends,  par- 


THE  LOST  DIAMONDS  237 

ticularly  so  by  Earl  Danvers.  Just  as  soon  as 
mutual  greetings  were  over  Ralph  took  Earl  to  a 
pile  of  ties  a  little  distance  away. 

"Now  then,  young  man,"  he  said,  "seeing  we 
are  alone,  suppose  you  give  an  account  of  your- 
self." 

Earl  Danvers  was  thin  and  pale.  He  looked  as 
if  he  had  gone  through  some  recent  severe  hard- 
ships, but  he  smiled  serenely  as  he  said : 

"It's  easy  to  tell  my  story,  now  I  am  out  of  my 
troubles,  but  I  tell  you,  Ralph,  I  have  had  a  hard 
time  of  it."' 

"With  Slump  and  Bemis?" 

"Yes.  The  afternoon  I  left  Stanley  Junction, 
they  were  the  fellows  who  forced  me  to  go  away 
with  them.  They  broke  into  your  house,  and  I 
found  them  ransacking  it.  They  pitched  on  to 
me.  and  tied  me  up.     Then  they  recognized  me." 

"What,  had  you  known  them  before?"  ex- 
claimed Ralph,  in  some  surprise. 

"I  found  out  that  I  had.  You  remember  the 
first  day  that  you  saw  me?" 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"Well,  I  had  run  away  from  my  uncles  that 
morning.  I  had  made  up  a  package  hurriedly, 
containing  shoes,  coat  and  cap,  and  got  away 
through  a  window  in  the  attic.  I  went  about  five 
miles,  when  I  ran  right  into  two  fellows  in  the 


238  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

woods.  They  were  Slump  and  Bcmis.  They  got 
mad  at  my  stumbling  over  them,  took  away  my 
parcel  and  began  to  belabor  me.  I  had  to  run  to 
keep  from  being  terribly  beaten.  Then  I  sneaked 
around,  hoping  to  recover  my  parcel.  They  had 
gone  in  swimming.  My  parcel  had  disappeared. 
I  had  to  have  a  coat.  I  grabbed  one  and  ran  away 
with  it.  They  yelled  after  me,  but  I  outdistanced 
them.  Then  later  I  ran  across  my  uncles  looking 
for  me.     The  rest  you  know." 

"And  what  about  the  coat?" 

"Well,"  related  Earl,  "when  those  fellows 
broke  into  your  house,  they  inquired  about  that 
coat.  I  at  once  saw  that  they  had  a  great  interest 
in  it.  I  told  them  I  didn't  know  where  it  was. 
They  insisted  that  I  did.  They  ransacked  the 
house  from  top  to  bottom.  They  took  me  away 
from  town  to  a  miserable  hut  where  they  were 
staying.  Until  yesterday  I  was  a  prisoner  there, 
tied  up,  half-starved,  and  every  day  Slump  would 
come  and  demand  to  know  if  I  was  going  to  tell 
him  what  had  become  of  that  coat.  From  the  first 
I  knew  that  coat  was  what  they  were  after  when 
they  burglarized  your  house,  and  wrote  what 
words  I  could  on  the  wall  of  your  sitting  room." 

"Yes,"  said  Ralph,  "we  found  your  message 
there.  Did  you  learn  what  their  especial  interest 
was  in  the  coat?" 


THE  LOST  DIAMONDS 


239 


"Yes,  I  overheard  some  of  their  conversation 
a  few  days  ago,"  replied  Earl.  "That  coat  con- 
tained some  diamonds  they  found  in  an  old  box 
car." 

"What!"  cried  Ralph.     "Is  it  possible?" 

"It  seems  so.  I  escaped  yesterday.  You  had 
told  me  about  this  place,  and  so  I  came  here. 
Zeph  Dallas  was  my  friend  at  once,  when  I  told 
him  my  story.     Here  he  is  now." 

Zeph  approached  with  a  beaming  face. 

"Fairbanks,"  he  said,  "I  suppose  Danvers  has 
told  you  how  he  came  here,  and  his  troubles  with 
Slump  and  Bemis." 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"Well,  I  went  to  Dover  yesterday  and  saw  the 
old  rag  man.  He  ransacked  his  stock  and  we 
found  the  coat." 

"You  did?"  spoke  Ralph,  expectantly. 

"Yes,  and  in  an  inside  pocket  were  the  dia- 
monds.    Here  they  are." 

Zeph  handed  Ralph  a  moldy  chamois  skin  bag. 
With  interest  the  young  fireman  inspected  the 
contents. 

"This  is  a  rich  find,  Zeph,"  he  said.  "You 
must  report  to  the  car  finder  at  once." 

"I  am  going  to  the  city  to-day  to  see  him,"  ex- 
plained the  former  farmer  boy. 

Zeph  left  headquarters  about  noon.     The  next 


240  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

morning  he  reappeared.  He  was  fairly  gorgeous, 
attired  in  the  uniform  of  a  conductor. 

"One  thousand  dollars  I  get  as  a  special  reward 
for  the  recovery  of  the  diamonds,"  he  said,  "and 
mure  when  the  car  finder  has  seen  their  original 
owner.     I  am  to  divide  with  you,  Fairbanks." 

"Not  at  all,"  dissented  Ralph. 

"Oh,  yes,  I  shall,"  insisted  Zeph.  "And,  by  the 
way,  I  have  some  news  of  importance  for  you." 

"Indeed?"  said  Ralph. 

"Yes.     You  know  where  Trafton  is?" 

"On  the  Midland  Central." 

"Exactly.  Well,  this  morning  on  the  plarrorrn 
there,  I  saw  a  man  in  whom  you  are  considerably 
interested." 

"Who  was  that?"  inquired  the  young  fireman. 

"Bartlett,  the  fellow  who  was  a  partner  of 
Gasper  Farrington  in  that  wire-tapping  scheme." 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

JUSTICE  AT  LAST CONCLUSION 

Ralph  lost  no  time  in  making  up  his  mind  to 
at  once  go  to  Trafton  and  endeavor  to  run  down 
Bartlett.  He  was  the  friend  and  confidant  of 
Gasper  Farrington,  and  the  latter  the  young  fire- 
man was  now  determined  to  find. 

He  had  his  troubles  for  his  pains.  He  got  a 
trace  of  Bartlett  at  Trafton,  but  lost  it  again.  His 
final  clew  was  that  Bartlett  had  last  been  seen 
driving  away  from  town  in  a  covered  wagon. 

Ralph  devoted  the  morning  to  these  discover- 
ies, then  he  made  for  the  home  of  Amos  Green- 
leaf.  He  cut  across  the  timber  for  ten  miles,  and 
late  in  the  afternoon  reached  the  miserable  hovel 
where  the  crippled  railroader  lived. 

It  was  when  he  was  within  a  few  rods  of  the 
;la  e  that  a  voice  hailed  him. 

'This  way,  Mr.  Fairbanks,  I  have  something  to 
tell  you." 

Ralph  went  to  a  copse  near  at  hand  where  the 

241 


242  RALPH  OX  THE  EXCIXE 

speaker  stood,  as  if  in  hiding.  It  was  the  es- 
caped convict.     He  was  deeply  excited. 

"I  wanted  to  prepare  you  for  a  surprise  before 
you  went  into  the  house,"  said  the  convict 

"Why,  what  do  you  mean?''  asked  Ralph. 

"I  mean  Farrington!"  cried  the  convict.  "He 
is  there." 

"Impossible!"  exclaimed  Ralph 

"No,  it  is  true." 

"How  did  he  happen  to  come  here?"' 

"A  man  driving  a  covered  wagon  brought  him. 
Farrington  was  sick,  dying.  The  other  man  car- 
ried him  into  the  house  and  said  he  would  hurry 
for  a  doctor." 

"When  was  this?"  asked  Ralph. 

"Two  hours  ago.  I  have  not  shown  myself  to 
Farrington  yet.  The  man  is  certainly  in  a  dying 
condition." 

"I  had  better  investigate  affairs,"  said  Ralph, 
and  he  proceeded  to  the  house. 

Gasper  Farrington  lay  on  a  wretched  cot  in  a 
little  bedroom.  Ralph  was  amazed  at  the  change 
in  the  magnate  since  he  had  last  seen  him.  Far- 
rington was  thin,  pale  and  weak.  He  was  gasping 
painfully  for  breath,  and  groaned  wretchedly  as 
he  recognized  his  visitor." 

"Why,  Mr.  Farrington,"  said  Ralph,  "you  are 
a  very  sick  man." 


JUSTICE  AT  LAST— CONCLUSION 


243 


"I  am  dying,  Ralph  Fairbanks,"  moaned  the 
stricken  Farrington.     "You  have  your  revenge." 

"I  wish  for  no  revenge — I  truly  am  sorry  to 
see  you  in  this  condition." 

"Well,  here  I  am,"  groaned  Farrington — "a 
miserable  wreck,  dying  in  a  wretched  hovel,  the 
end  of  all  my  plotting,  and  worst  of  all,  robbed 
of  everything  I  own." 

"By  whom?"  asked  Ralph. 

"By  Bartlett,  who  has  abandoned  me.  I  know 
it,  and  only  this  morning  he  got  from  me  the 
deeds  conveying  all  my  property  to  him.  Once 
recorded,  I  am  a  beggar,  and  can  make  no  rep- 
aration to  those  whom  I  have  defrauded." 

"Is  that  true?"  asked  Ralph. 

"Yes.  He  pretended  he  would  drive  to  Wilmer, 
record  the  deeds  at  Stanley  Junction,  return  and 
take  me  safely  out  of  the  country.  Instead,  he 
has  isolated  me  in  this  desolate  place.  Oh,  to  out* 
wit  him,  Fairbanks!"  continued  the  magnate 
eagerly.  "I  can  yet  defeat  him  if  you  can  assist 
me." 

"How?" 

"Under  the  bed  is  my  box  of  private  papers. 
Unknown  to  Bartlett,  last  week,  suspecting  his 
scheme  to  rob  me,  believing  I  was  dying,  I 
executed  deeds  that  distributed  my  property 
among  those  whom  I  had  wronged.     One  deed  is 


244  RALPH  OX  THE  EXGJXE 

for  your  mother  to  adjust  that  twenty  thousand 
dollar  claim.  Another  is  for  a  poor  fellow  I  sent 
to  jail — an  innocent  man.  Another  places  my 
property  in  trust  with  your  lawyer.  Here  they 
are,"  and  Farrington  took  some  documents  from 
the  box  that  Ralph  had  handed  him.  "Now  then, 
act  quickly." 

Ralph  looked  over  the  papers.  They  were  what 
the  magnate  described.  He  went  outside  and  saw 
the  convict,  showing  him  the  deed  containing  the 
name  of   "John  Vance." 

"Is  that  your  name?"  asked  Ralph. 

"It  is,"  assented  the  convict. 

"Then  Farrington  has  done  you  tardy  justice," 
and  he  explained  the  situation. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  young  fireman  was  bound- 
ing away  towards  Wilmer. 

Ralph  caught  a  train  just  as  it  was  moving 
away  from  the  depot.  He  did  not  venture  inside 
the  cars,  for  he  saw  that  Bartlett  was  aboard,  but 
at  the  next  station  proceeded  to  the  locomotive. 

When  the  train  reached  the  limits  at  Stanley 
Junction,  Ralph  lefl  it  and  boarded  an  engine  on 
another  track  bound  for  the  depot. 

He  reached  it  some  minutes  in  advance  of  the 
other  locomotive.  A  hurried  run  for  the  office  of 
the  record'**-  n  swift  delivery  of  the  dr^ds.  and 
then  Ralnh  hastened  after  the  town  marshal 


JUSTICE  AT  LAST— CONCLUSION 


245 


They  came  upon  Bartlett  leaving  the  office  of 
the  recorder  with  a  glum  and  puzzled  face.  In  his 
hand  in  a  listless  way  he  held  some  deeds  which 
he  had  evidently  been  told  were  worthless. 

The  man  was  disguised,  but  Ralph  knew  him 
at  once.  The  marshal  stepped  forward  and 
seized  his  arm. 

"Mr.  Bartlett,"  he  said  sternly,  "you  are  under 
arrest." 

"Oh,  you  want  me?  What — er — for?"  stam- 
mered the  plotter. 

''Conspiracy  in  the  recent  railroad  strike,"  ex- 
plained the  official.  "Pretty  serious,  too — not  to 
mention  that  so-called  accident  you  had  on  one  of 
the  cars,  for  which  you  wanted  damages." 

With  a  scowl  on  his  face  Bartlett  turned  and 
confronted  Ralph. 

"Ah,  so  it's  you?"  he  growled. 

"Yes,"  returned  the  young  fireman,  coldly. 

"This  is  some  of  your  work!" 

"If  so,  it  is  at  the  request  of  the  man  you 
robbed,  Bartlett." 

"Eh?" 

"I  mean  Gasper  Farrington,"  answered  Ralph, 
and  this  news  caused  the  prisoner  to  turn  pale  and 
stagger  back.  He  realized  that  he  had  come  to  the 
end  of  his  plotting  and  must  now  suffer  the  con- 
sequences of  his  misdeeds.     He  was  marched  off 


246  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

to  jail,  and  it  may  be  as  well  to  state,  was,  later 
on,  sent  to  prison  for  a  term  of  years. 

Gasper  Farrington  did  not  linger  long.  Before 
he  died,  however,  he  had  a  talk  with  Ralph  and 
with  the  convict,  and  signed  several  papers  of 
importance.  He  acknowledged  all  his  wrong- 
doings, and  did  all  in  his  power  to  straighten 
matters  out.  His  relatives  came  to  his  aid,  and  his 
last  hours  on  earth  were  made  as  comfortable  as 
circumstances  permitted. 

Two  days  after  Farrington's  funeral  came  a 
surprise  for  Ralph.  He  received  word  that  Ike 
Slump  and  Mort  Bemis  had  been  caught  in  a 
tavern  near  Dover.  Both  of  the  roughs  were  in 
rags  and  penniless,  having  lost  what  money  they 
had  had.  Both  were  turned  over  to  the  police, 
and  in  due  course  of  time  each  followed  Bartlett 
to  prison. 

"It  serves  them  right,"  said  Griscom.  to  Ralph. 
"My!  my!  What  a  difference  in  boys!  Do  you 
remember  when  you  and  Slump  were  both  wipers 
at  the  roundhouse?" 

"I  do  indeed!"  answered  Ralph  feelingly.  "I 
am  sorry  for  Ike.  But  he  has  no  one  to  blame  but 
himself." 

"A  holiday  for  us  dry  after  to-morrow,  lad," 
went  on  the  veteran  engineer  of  the  Limited  Mail, 
with  a  twinkle  in  his  eve.   "Guess  you  know  why." 


JUSTICE  AT  LAST—C0XCLUS10X 


247 


"Opening  of  the  other  line?"  queried  the  young 
fireman. 

"Exactly.  Special  invitation  for  both  of  us," 
went  on  Griscom,  with  a  chuckle. 

"Well,  I  hope  everything  pans  out  right,"  said 
Ralph.  "Our  friends  have  worked  hard  enough, 
goodness  knows." 

The  day  for  the  opening  of  the  new  railroad 
came,  and  Ralph  and  the  old  engineer  took  the 
early  morning  train  for  Wilmer.  Xot  a  few 
friends  accompanied  them. 

"It's  a  great  day  for  Van  and  for  Mr.  Gibson," 
said  Ralph.  "And  a  great  day  for  Zeph  and  Earl 
too,"  he  added,  with  a  smile.  Earl's  uncles  had 
been  hailed  into  court,  and  a  new  guardian  had 
been  appointed  for  the  boy. 

A  little  after  noon  that  day  the  formal  opening 
of  the  Springfield  &  Dover  Railroad  was  cele- 
brated. 

Two  beautiful  passenger  coaches  were  filled 
with  friends  of  the  road  and  persons  living  near 
Wilmer.  The  locomotive  and  cars  were  gaily  deco- 
rated with  bunting.  Limpy  Joe  was  bustling 
around  his  restaurant  stand  at  the  depot,  happy 
and  chipper.  Zeph  Dallas  was  the  proud  con- 
ductor, and  Earl  Dan  vers  the  brakeman  of  the 
train.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gibson,  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  Mr. 
Trevor  and  some  of  their  friends  formed  a  party 


248  RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 

by  themselves.  It  was  a  regular  gala  occasion. 
The  first  trip  was  a  grand  success.  People  along 
the  line  greeted  the  train  with  glad  cheers,  and, 
returning  to  headquarters,  a  sumptuous  repast 
was  spread  for  the  guests  of  the  new  road. 

"Well,  we  are  a  happy  family  party,"  said 
Farwell  Gibson  with  enthusiasm,  as,  that  evening, 
his  employes  sat  around  the  supper  table  at  head- 
quarters. 

"Yes,"  nodded  Trevor.  "To-morrow  actual 
work  begins.  We  have  splendid  prospects,  loyal 
employes,  and  the  Springfield  &  Dover  Short 
Line  is  a  grand  success." 

"I  cannot  too  deeply  announce  my  feelings  to- 
wards you,  Fairbanks,"  said  Mr.  Gibson.  "It  is 
to  your  friendship  and  co-operation  that  I  owe, 
in  a  measure,  all  my  good  fortune  in  completing 
the  railroad." 

"A  grand  lad,"  applauded  old  John  Griscom 
heartily.  "His  pluck  and  perseverance  have  helped 
us  all  out  of  difficulties  many  a  time." 

"Three  cheers  for  the  boy  who  helped  to  build 
a  railroad!"  cried  Zeph  Dallas. 

They  were  given  with  enthusiasm,  and  Ralph 
had  to  respond  with  a  speech. 

"I  believe  this  is  the  happiest  moment  of  my 
life,"  he  declared.  "I  have  been  through  some 
Strenuous  times,  but  all  has  ended  well." 


JUSTICE  AT  LAST— CONCLUSION 


249 


And  then  what  a  cheer  went  up! 

Ralph  imagined  that  now,  since  his  enemies  had 
been  disposed  of,  quiet  times  were  ahead.  But 
this  was  not  to  be.  Adventures  in  plenty  still 
awaited  him,  and  what  some  of  them  were  will  be 
related  in  another  story,  to  be  called  "Ralph  on 
the  Overland  Express ;  or,  The  Trials  and 
Triumphs  of  a  Young  Engineer." 

"It  was  certainly  a  great  day,  mother,"  said 
the  young  fireman,  when  he  got  home  from  the 
celebration. 

"Yes,  Ralph,"  answered  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  "And 
to  think  that  you  helped  to  make  that  day  possible. 
Oh,  I  am  proud  of  you!"  And  she  gave  him  a 
fond  caress. 

"And  the  best  of  it  is,  that  we  have  all  those 
thousands  of  dollars,"  continued  the  young  fire- 
man. "We  are  not  exactly  rich,  but  we  are  com- 
fortably situated,  eh?" 

"Yes,  indeed,  Ralph !  But  listen  to  me.  Do 
you  want  to  leave  the  railroad?  You  might  go 
into  business,  or  go  to  college,  or " 

"No,  no,  mother !  I  was  born  to  follow  a  rail- 
road life — I  feel  it.  Who  knows,  some  day  I  may 
be  the  President  of  some  road." 

"That  is  true.  Well,  have  your  wish,  Ralph. 
They  tell  me  now  you  are  the  best  fireman  in 


250 


RALPH  OX  THE  ENGINE 


these  parts.  Soon  you'll  have  your  engine  and 
then " 

"I'll  be  very  happy!"  finished  Ralph. 

And  his  eyes  brightened  as  he  thought  of  the 
splendid  opportunities  the  future  promised. 


fcHE  3ND 


"An  Avalanche!"  declared  Fogg.     "Dodge — something's 
coming  !  "  Page  254. 

Kalfh  en  the  Overland  Express. 


RALPH  ON  THE 
OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

OR 

THE  TRIALS  AND  TRIUMPHS    OF  A 
YOUNG  ENGINEER 


BY 

ALLEN    CHAPMAN 


NEW    YORK 

GROSSET    &     DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 

5VWe  in  the  United  States  of   America 


COPYKIGUT,    1910.   BY 

GRCSSET    &    DUNLAF 

Ralph  on  tlic  Overland  Express 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER 

I.  Xo.    999 

II.  A  Special  Passenger 

III.  One  cf  the  Rules 

IV.  A    Warning 
V.  At    Bay 

VI.  Four  Medals 

VII.  Dave   Bissell,   Train   Bov 

VIII.  An  Astonishing  Discovery 

IX.  The  Light  of  Home     . 

X.  Fire!        .... 

XL  The  Master  Mechanic 

XII.  A  Good  Friend 

XIII.  The  "Black  Hand"     . 

XIV.  A  Serious  Plot     . 
XV.  "The   Silvandos" 

XVI.  Zeph  Dallas  and  His  "My 

XVII.  In  Widener's  Gap 

XVIII.  At  the   Semaphore 

XIX.  The  Boy  Who  was  Hazed 

XX.  "Lord  Lionel  Montague" 

XXI.  Archie  Graham's  Invention 

XXII.  Ike    Slump   Again 

XXIII.  A  Critical  Moment     . 
iii 


i 

12 
22 

35 
43 
51 
6o 
68 
7(5 
88 

95 
104 

ii3 
123 
129 

138 
145 

x53 
160 

171 
179 

188 

JO* 


tv 


Contents 


CHAPTER 

XXIV.  The  New  Run     . 

XXV.  The  Mountain  Division 

XXVI.  Mystery 

XXVII.  The  Railroad  President 

XXVIII.  A  Race  Against  Time 

aXIX.  ZErn  Dallas  Again     . 

XXX.  Snowbound 

XXXI.  Conclusion    . 


TACE 

203 
209 
217 
22$ 
23} 
^44 
254 
264 


RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND 
EXPRESS 

CHAPTER  I 
no.  999 

"All  aboard." 

Ralph  Fairbanks  swung  into  the  cab  of  No. 
999  with  the  lever  hooked  up  for  forward  motion, 
and  placed  a  firm  hand  on  the  throttle. 

It  looked  as  though  half  the  workirg  force  o£ 
the  railroad,  and  every  juvenile  friei.'d  he  had 
ever  known  in  Stanley  Junction,  had  come  down 
to  the  little  old  depot  that  beautiful  summer  after- 
noon to  especially  celebrate  the  greatest  event  in 
his  active  railroad  career. 

Ralph  was  the  youngest  engineer  in  the  service 
of  the  Great  Northern,  and  there  was  full  reason 
why  he  should  center  attention  and  interest  on 
this  the  proudest  moment  of  his  life.  No.  999 
was  the  crack  locomotive  of  the  system,  brand 
new  and  resplendent.  Its  headlight  was  a  great 
«jlow  of  crystal,  its  metal  bands  and  trimmings 


o    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

shone  like  burnished  gold,  and  its  cab  was  as 
spick  and  span  and  neat  as  the  private  office  of 
the  division  superintendent  himself. 

No  999  was  out  fur  a  trial  run — a  record  run, 
Ralph  hoped  to  make  it.  One  particular  car 
attached  to  the  rear  of  the  long  train  was  the 
main  object  of  interest.  It  was  a  new  car  to  the 
road,  and  its  blazoned  name  suggested  an  im- 
portance out  of  the  ordinary — ''China  &  Japan 
Mail." 

This  car  had  just  come  in  over  a  branch  sec- 
tion by  a  short  cut  from  the  north.  If  No.  999 
could  beat  timetable  routine  half  an  hour  and 
deliver  the  mail  to  the  Overland  Express  at 
Bridgeport,  two  hundred  miles  distant,  on  time, 
it  would  create  a  new  schedule,  and  meant  a  good 
contract  for  the  Great  Northern,  besides  a  saving 
of  three  hours'  time  over  the  former  roundabout 
trip  of  the  China  &  Japan  Mail. 

Ralph  had  exchanged  jolly  greetings  with  his 
friends  up  to  now.  In  an  instant,  however,  the 
sonorous,  echoing  "All  aboard"  from  the  con- 
ductor way  down  the  train  was  a  signal  for  duty, 
prompt  and  imperative.  The  pleasant  depot 
scene  faded  from  the  sight  and  mind  of  the  am' 
bitious  young  railroader.  He  turned  his  strict 
attention  now  to  the  cab  interior,  as  though  the 
locomotive  was  a  thing  of  life  and  intelligence. 


NO.  999  3 

"Let  'er  go,  Ralph!" 

John  Griscom,  the  oldest  engineer  on  the  road, 
off  duty,  but  a  privileged  character  on  all  occa- 
sions, stepped  from  the  gossiping  crowd  of 
loungers  at  a  little  distance.  He  swung  up  into 
the  cab  with  the  expert  airiness  of  long  usage. 
His  bluff,  hearty  face  expressed  admiration  and 
satisfaction,  as  his  rapid  eye  took  in  the  cab 
layout. 

"I'll  hold  up  the  tender  rail  till  we  get  tc 
crossing,"  announced  Griscom.  "Lad,  this  is 
front  rank  service  all  right,  and  I'm  happy  tG 
say  that  you  deserve  it." 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Griscom,"  answered  Ralph, 
his  face  beaming  at  the  handsome  compliment 
"I  don't  forget,  though,  that  you  helped  some." 

"Oh,  so,  so,"  declared  Griscom.  "I  say,  Fogg, 
you're  named  right." 

It  was  to  Lemuel  Fogg  that  Griscom  spoke. 
Fogg  was  Ralph's  fireman  on  the  present  trip. 
He  presented  a  decided  contrast  to  the  brisk, 
bright  engineer  of  No.  999.  He  shoveled  in  the 
coal  with  a  grim  mutter,  and  slammed  the  fire 
door  shut  with  a  vicious  and  unnecessary  bang. 

"What  you  getting  at?"  he  growled,  with  a 
surly  eye  on  Griscom. 

"Fogg — fog,  see?  foggy,  that's  you — and 
groggy,  eh?     Sun's  shining — why  don't  you  take 


4    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

it  in?  No  slouch  privilege  firing  this  magnificent 
king  of  the  road,  I'm  thinking,  and  you  ought 
to  think  so,  too." 

"Huh!"  snapped  Fogg,  "it'll  he  kid  luck,  if  we 
get  through." 

"Olio!  there's  where  the  shoe  pinches,  is  it?" 
bantered  the  old  railroad  veteran.  "Come,  be 
fair,  Fogg.  You  was  glad  to  win  your  own  spurs 
when  you  were  young." 

"All  right,  mind  the  try-out,  you  hear  me!" 
snorted  Fogg  ungraciously.  "You  mind  your 
own  business." 

"Say,"  shot  out  Griscom  quickly,  as  he  caught 
a  whiff  from  Fogg's  lips,  "you  be  sure  you  mind 
yours — and  the  rules,"  he  added,  quite  sternly, 
"I  advise  you  not  to  get  too  near  the  furnace." 

"Eh,  why  not?" 

"Your  breath  might  catch  fire,  that's  why," 
announced  Griscom  bluntly,  and  turned  his  back 
on  the  disgruntled  fireman. 

Ralph  had  not  caught  this  sharp  cross-fire  of 
repartee.  His  mind  had  been  intently  fixed  on 
his  task.  He  had  started  up  the  locomotive 
slowly,  but  now,  clearing  the  depot  switches,  he 
pulled  the  lever  a  notch  or  two,  watching  care- 
fully ahead.  As  the  train  rounded  a  curve  to  an 
air  line,  a  series  of  brave  hurrahs  along  the  side 


NO.  999  5 

of  the  track  sent  a  thrill  of  pleasure  through 
Ralph's  frame. 

The  young  engineer  had  only  a  fleeting  second 
or  two  to  bestow  on  a  little  group,  standing  at  the 
rear  fence  of  a  yard  backing  down  to  the  tracks 
His  mother  was  there,  gaily  waving  a  handker- 
chief. A  neighbor  joined  in  the  welcome,  and 
half-a-dozen  boys  and  small  children  with  whom 
Ralph  was  a  rare  favorite  made  the  air  ring  with 
enthusiastic  cheers. 

"Friends  everywhere,  lad,"  spoke  Griscom  in 
a  kindly  tone,  and  then,  edging  nearer  to  his 
prime  young  favorite,  he  half-whispered :  "Keep 
your  eye  on  this  grouch  of  a  Fogg." 

"Why,  you  don't  mean  anything  serious,  Mr. 
Griscom?"  inquired  Ralph,  with  a  quick  glance 
at  the  fireman. 

"Yes,  I  do,"  proclaimed  the  old  railroader 
plainly.  "He's  got  it  in  for  you — it's  the  talk  of 
the  yards,  and  he's  in  just  the  right  frame  of  mind 
to  bite  off  his  own  nose  to  spite  his  face.  So 
long." 

The  locomtive  had  slowed  up  for  crossing  sig- 
nals, and  Griscom  got  to  the  ground  with  a  care- 
less sail  through  the  air,  waved  his  hand,  and 
Ralph  buckled  down  to  real  work  on  No.  999. 

He  glanced  at  the  schedule  sheet  and  the  clock, 
^he  gauges  were  in  fine  working  order.     There 


C         RAH  J  J  OX  THE  Ol'ERLA.XD  EXPRESS 

was  not  a  full  head  of  steam  on  as  yet  and  the  fire 
box  was  somewhat  over  full,  but  there  was  a 
strong  draft  and  a  twenty-mile  straight  run  before 
them,  and  Ralph  felt  they  could  make  it  easily. 

"Don't  choke  her  too  full,  Mr.  Fogg,"  he  re- 
marked to  the  fireman. 

"Teach  me!"'  snorted  Fogg,  and  threw  another 
shovelful  into  the  box  already  crowded,  and 
backed  against  the  tender  bar  with  a  surly,  de- 
fiant face. 

Ralph  made  no  retort.  Fogg  did,  indeed,  know 
his  business,  if  he  was  only  minded  to  attend  to  it. 
He  was  somewhat  set  and  old-fashioned  in  his 
ways,  and  he  had  grown  up  in  the  service  from 
wiper. 

Ralph  recalled  Griscom's  warning.  It  was  not 
pleasant  to  run  two  hundred  miles  with  a  grumpy 
cab  comrade.  Ralph  wished  they  had  given  him 
some  other  helper.  However,  he  reasoned  that 
even  a  crack  fireman  might  be  proud  of  a  regular 
run  on  No.  999,  and  he  did  not  believe  that  Fogg 
would  hurt  his  own  chances  by  any  tactics  that 
might  delay  them. 

The  landscape  drifted  by  swiftly  and  more 
swiftly,  as  Ralph  gave  the  locomotive  full  head. 
A  rare  enthusiasm  and  buoyancy  came  into  the 
situation.  There  was  something  fascinating  in 
the  breathless  rush,  the  superb  power  and  stead'- 


NO.  999  1 

ness  of  the  crack  machine,  so  easy  of  control 
that  she  was  a  marvel  of  mechanical  genius  and 
perfection. 

Like  a  panorama  the  scenery  flashed  by,  and 
in  rapid  mental  panorama  Ralph  reviewed  the 
glowing  and  stirring  events  of  his  young  life, 
which  in  a  few  brief  months  had  carried  him 
from  his  menial  task  as  an  engine  wiper  up  to  the 
present  position  which  he  cherished  so  proudly. 

Ralph  was  a  railroader  by  inheritance  as  weft 
as  predilection.  His  father  had  been  a  pioneer 
in  the  beginning  of  the  Great  Northern.  After 
he  died,  through  the  manipulations  of  an  un- 
worthy village  magnate  named  Gasper  Farring- 
ton,  his  widow  and  son  found  themselves  at  the 
mercy  of  that  heartless  schemer,  who  held  a 
mortgage  on  their  little  home. 

In  the  first  volume  of  the  present  series,  en- 
titled "Ralph  of  the  Roundhouse,"  it  was  told 
how  Ralph  left  school  to  earn  a  living  and  help 
his  self-sacrificing  mother  in  her  poverty. 

Ralph  got  a  job  in  the  roundhouse,  and  held  it, 
too,  despite  the  malicious  efforts  of  Ike  Slump,  a 
ne'er-do-well  who  tried  to  undermine  him.  Ralph 
became  a  favorite  with  the  master  mechanic  of 
the  road  through  some  remarkable  railroad  ser- 
vice in  which  he  saved  the  railroad  shops  from 
destruction  by  fire. 


S         R.1LPII  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Step  by  step  Ralph  advanced,  and  the  second 
volume  of  this  series,  called  "Ralph  in  the  Switch 
Tower,"  showed  how  manly  resolve,  and  being 
right  and  doing  right,  enabled  him  to  overcome 
his  enemies  and  compel  old  Farrington  to  release 
the  fraudulent  mortgage.  Incidentally,  Ralph 
made  many  friends.  He  assisted  a  poor  waif 
named  Van  Sherwin  to  reach  a  position  of  com- 
fort and  honor,  and  was  instrumental  in  aiding 
a  former  business  partner  of  his  father,  one  Far- 
well  Gibson,  to  complete  a  short  line  railroad 
through  the  woods  near  Dover. 

In  the  third  volume  of  the  present  series,  en- 
titled "Ralph  on  the  Engine,"  was  related  how 
our  young  railroad  friend  became  an  active  em- 
ployee of  the  Great  Northern  as  a  fireman.  He 
made  some  record  runs  with  old  John  Griscom, 
the  veteran  of  the  road.  In  that  volume  was  also 
depicted  the  ambitious  but  blundering  efforts  of 
Zeph  Dallas,  a  farmer  boy  who  was  determined 
to  break  into  railroading,  and  there  was  told  as 
well  the  grand  success  of  little  Limpy  Joe,  a  rail- 
road cripple,  who  ran  a  restaurant  in  an  old,  dis- 
mantled box  car. 

These  and  other  staunch,  loyal  friends  had 
rallied  around  Ralph  with  all  the  influence  they 
could  exert,  when  after  a  creditable  examination 
Ralph  was  placed  on  the  extra  list  as  an  engineer. 


NO.  999  9 

Van  and  Zeph  had  been  among  the  first  to 
congratulate  the  friend  to  whom  they  owed  so 
much,  when,  after  a  few  months'  service  on  ac- 
comodation runs,  it  was  made  known  that  Ralph 
had  been  appointed  as  engineer  of  No  999. 

It  was  Limpy  Joe,  spending  a  happy  vacation 
week  with  motherly,  kind-hearted  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks, who  led  the  cheering  coterie  whom  Ralph 
had  passed  near  his  home  as  he  left  the  Junc- 
tion on  his  present  run. 

Of  his  old-time  enemies,  Ike  Slump  and  Mort 
Bemis  were  in  jail,  the  last  Ralph  had  heard  of 
them.  There  was  a  gang  in  his  home  town,  how- 
ever, whom  Ralph  had  reason  to  fear.  It  was 
made  up  of  men  who  had  tried  to  cripple  the 
Great  Northern  through  an  unjust  strike.  A  man 
named  Jim  Evans  had  been  one  of  the  leaders. 
Fogg  had  sympathized  with  the  strikers.  Gris- 
com  and  Ralph  had  routed  the  malcontents  in 
a  fair,  open-handed  battle  of  arguments  and 
blows.  Fogg  had  been  reinstated  by  the  road,  but 
he  had  to  go  back  on  the  promotion  list,  and  his 
rancor  was  intense  when  he  learned  that  Ralph 
had  been  chosen  to  a  position  superior  to  his  own. 

"They  want  young  blood,  the  railroad  nobs 
tell  it,"  the  disgruntled  fireman  had  been  heard 
to  remark  in  his  favorite  tippling  place  on  Rail- 
road Street.     ''Humph!  They'll  have  blood,  and 


10         RALPH  OX  THE  Ol'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

lots  of  it,  if  they  trust  the  lives  of  passengers 
and  crew  to  a  lot  of  kindergarten  graduates." 

Of  all  this  Ralph  was  thinking  as  they  covered 
a  clear  dash  of  twenty  miles  over  the  best  stretch 
of  grading  on  the  road,  and  with  satisfaction  he 
noted  that  they  had  gained  three  minutes  on  the 
schedule  time.  He  whistled  for  a  station  at 
which  the}'  did  not  stop,  set  full  speed  again 
as  they  left  the  little  village  behind  them,  and 
glanced  sharply  at  Fogg. 

The  latter  had  not  spoken  a  word  for  over 
half-an-hour.  He  had  gone  about  his  duties  in 
a  dogged,  sullen  fashion  that  showed  the  per- 
manency of  the  grouch  with  which  old  John 
Griscom  had  charged  him.  Ralph  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  leave  his  cab  companion  severly  alone 
until  he  became  more  reasonable.  However, 
there  were  some  things  about  Fogg  of  which  the 
young  engineer  was  bound  to  take  notice,  and 
a  new  enlightenment  came  to  Ralph's  mind  as  he 
now  glanced  at  his  helper. 

Fogg  had  slipped  clumsily  on  the  tender  plate 
in  using  the  coal  rake,  and  Ralph  had  marveled 
at  this  unusual  lack  of  steadiness  of  footing. 
Then,  twice  he  had  gone  out  on  the  running  board 
on  some  useless  errand,  fumbling  about  in  an 
inexplicable  way.  His  hot,  fetid  breath  crossed 
Ralph's  face,  and  the  latter  arrived  at  a  definite 


NO.  999  11 

conclusion,  and  he  was  sorry  for  it.  Fogg  had 
been  "firing  up"  from  a  secret  bottle  ever  since 
they  had  left  the  Junction,  and  his  condition  was 
momentarily  becoming  more  serious  and  alarming. 

They  were  slowing  down  to  a  stop  at  a  water 
tank  as  Ralph  saw  Fogg  draw  back,  and  under 
cover  of  the  tender  lift  a  flask  to  his  lips.  Then 
Fogg  slipped  it  under  the  cushion  of  his  seat  as 
he  turned  to  get  some  coal. 

He  dropped  the  shovel,  coal  and  all,  with  a 
wild  snort  of  rage,  as  turning  towards  the  fire  box 
door  he  saw  Ralph  reach  over  swiftly,  grab  the 
half  empty  bottle  from  under  the  cushion,  and 
give  it  a  fling  to  the  road  bed,  where  it  was 
dashed  into  a  thousand  pieces. 

Blood  in  his  eye,  uncontrollable  fury  in  his 
heart,  the  irrational  fireman,  both  fists  uplifted, 
made  a  wild  onslaught  upon  the  young  engineer. 

"You  impudent  meddler!''  he  raved.  "I'll 
smash  you!" 


CHAPTER  II 

A  SPECIAL  PASSENGER 

"Behave  yourself,"  said  Ralph  Fairbanks 
quietly. 

The  young  engineer  simply  gave  his  furious 
antagonist  a  push  with  his  free  hand.  The  other 
hand  was  on  duty,  and  Ralph's  eyes  as  well. 
He  succeeded  in  bringing  the  locomotive  to  a  stop 
before  Fogg  needed  any  further  attention. 

The  fireman  had  toppled  off  his  balance  and 
went  flat  among  the  coal  of  the  tender.  Ralph 
did  not  feel  at  all  important  over  so  easily  re- 
pelling his  assailant.  Fogg  was  in  practically  a 
helpless  condition,  and  a  child  could  have  dis- 
turbed his  unsteady  footing. 

With  maudlin  energy,  however,  he  began  to 
scramble  to  his  feet.  All  the  time  he  glowered 
at  Ralph,  and  made  dreadful  threats  of  what  he 
was  going  to  do  to  the  youth  for  "knocking  him 
down."  Fogg  managed  to  pull  himself  erect,  but 
swayed  about  a  good  deal,  and  then  observing 
that  Ralph  had  the  free  use  of  both  hands  now  and 
12 


A  SPECIAL  PASSENGER  13 

ivas  posed  on  guard  to  meet  any  attack  he  might 
meditate,  the  irate  fireman  stooped  and  seized  a 
big  lump  of  coal.  Ralph  could  hardly  hope  to 
dodge  the  missile,  hemmed  in  as  he  was.  It  was 
poised  for  a  vicious  fling.  Just  as  Fogg's  hand 
went  backwards  to  aim  the  projectile,  it  was 
seized,  the  missile  was  wrested  from  his  grasp, 
and  a  strange  voice  drawled  out  the  words : 

"I  wouldn't  waste  the  company's  coal  that  way, 
if  I  were  you." 

Ralph  with  some  surprise  and  considerable 
interest  noted  the  intruder,  who  had  mounted  the 
tender  step  just  in  time  to  thwart  the  quarrel- 
some designs  of  Lemuel  Fogg.  As  to  the  fire- 
man, he  wheeled  about,  looked  ugly,  and  then  as 
the  newcomer  laughed  squarely  in  his  face,  mum- 
bled some  incoherent  remark  about  "two  against 
one,"  and  "fixing  both  of  them."  Then  he 
climbed  up  on  the  tender  to  direct  the  water  tank 
spout  into  place. 

"What's  the  row  here,  anyhow?"  inquired  the 
intruder,  with  a  pleasant  glance  at  Ralph,  and 
leaning  bodily  against  the  fireman's  seat. 

Ralph  looked  him  over  as  a  cool  specimen, 
although  there  was  nothing  "cheeky"  about  the 
intruder.  He  showed  neither  the  sneakiness  nor 
the  effrontery  of  the  professional  railroad  beat 
or  ride  stealer,  notwithstanding  the  easy,  natural 


14    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

way  in  which  he  made  himself  at  home  in  the  cab 
as  though  he  belonged  there. 

"Glad  you  happened  along,"  chirped  the  new- 
comer airily.  "I'll  keep  you  company  as  far  as 
Bridgeport,  1  guess." 

"Will  you,  now?"  questioned  Ralph,  with  a 
dubious  smile. 

The  lad  he  addressed  was  an  open-faced,  smart- 
looking  boy.  He  was  well  dressed  and  intelligent, 
and  suggested  to  Ralph  the  average  college  or 
home  boy.  Certainly  there  was  nothing  about 
him  that  indicated  that  he  had  to  work  for  a 
living. 

"My  name  is  Clark — Marvin  Clark,"  continued 
the.  intruder. 

Ralph  nodded  and  awaited  further  disclosures. 

"My  father  is  President  of  the  Middletown  & 
Western  Railroad,"  proceeded  the  stranger. 

Ralph  did  not  speak.  He  smiled  slightly,  and 
the  keen-eyed  intruder  noticed  this  and  gave  him 
a  sharp  look. 

"Old  racket,  eh?  Too  flimsy?"  he  propounded 
with  a  quizzical  but  perfectly  good-natured  grin. 
"I  suppose  they  play  .all  kinds  of  official  relation- 
ships and  all  that  on  you  fellows,  eh?" 

"Yes,"  said  Ralph,  "we  do  hear  some  pretty 
extravagant  stories." 

"I  suppose  so,"  assented  the  youth  calling  him* 


A  SPECIAL  PASSENGER  15 

self  Marvin  Clark.  "Well,  I  don't  want  to  in- 
trude, but  if  there's  room  for  myself  and  my 
credentials,  I'd  rather  keep  you  company  than 
free  pass  it  in  the  parlor  coach.     There  you  are." 

As  the  boy  spoke  of  "credentials,"  he  drew  an 
unsealed  envelope  from  his  pocket  and  handed 
it  to  Ralph.  The  latter  received  it,  noting  that 
it  bore  in  one  corner  the  monogram  of  the  Great 
Northern,  with  "President's  office — official  busi- 
ness" printed  under  it.  He  withdrew  the  en< 
closure  and  perused  it. 

The  sheet  was  a  letter  head  of  the  Middletowfi 
&  Western  Railroad.  It  bore  on  one  line  in  one 
handwriting  the  name  "Marvin  Clark,"  and  be' 
neath  it  the  words :  "For  identification,"  in 
another  handwriting,  and  the  flourishing  signature 
below  "Nathaniel  Clark,  President." 

In  typewriting  beneath  all  this  were  the  words : 
"Pass  on  all  trains,  Marvin  Clark,"  and  below 
that  a  date  and  the  name  in  writing  of  Mr.  Robert 
Grant,  the  President  of  the  Great  Northern,  un- 
mistakably genuine.  There  were  few  employees 
on  the  road  who  were  not  familiar  with  that 
signature. 

"All  right,"  said  Ralph,  refolding  the  sheet,  re- 
inclosing  it  in  the  envelope,  and  handing  it  back 
to  the  stranger.  "I  guess  that  passes  you  any- 
where on  the  line." 


1G    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"You  see,  I've  got  a  sort  of  roaming  com- 
mission," explained  young  Clark  buoyantly,  as 
he  got  comfortably  seated  on  the  fireman's 
cushion.  "No  particular  use  at  school,  and 
father  wants  me  to  learn  railroading.  The  first 
step  was  to  run  down  all  the  lines  and  pick  up  all 
the  information  I  could.  I've  just  got  to  put  in 
two  months  at  that,  and  then  report  to  family 
headquarters  my  store  of  practical  knowledge. 
See  here." 

Marvin  Clark  drew  a  blank  from  his  pocket. 
Some  thirty  of  its  pages  he  showed  to  Ralph  were 
filled  with  memoranda.  Thus :  "Aug.  22,  cattle 
freight,  Upton  to  Dover.  O.  K.  Simpson,  Con- 
ductor." There  followed  like  items,  all  signed, 
forming  a  link  of  evidence  that  the  boy  had  been 
a  passenger  on  all  kinds  of  rolling  stock,  had 
visited  railroad  shops,  switch  towers,  water 
stations,  in  fact  had  inspected  about  every  active 
department  of  several  railroad  lines  that  connected 
with  the  Middletown  &  Western  Railroad. 

"That  is  a  pretty  pleasant  layout,  I  should 
say,"  remarked  Ralph. 

"Oh,  so,  so,'  replied  Clark  indifferently. 
"Athletics  is  my  stronghold.  If  I  ever  get  money 
enough — I  mean  if  I  had  my  own  way — I'd  train 
for  expert  on  everything  from  golf  to  football." 

"I'm  pretty  strong  in  that  direction  myself," 


A  SPECIAL  PASSENGER  17 

said  Ralph,  "but  a  fellow  has  to  hustle  for  some- 
thing to  eat." 

"I  know  what  that  means,"  declared  Clark. 
"Had  to  help  the  family  by  peddling  papers — ." 

Clark  paused  and  flushed.  Ralph  wondered 
at  the  singular  break  his  visitor  had  made.  A 
diversion  covered  the  embarassment  of  the  young 
stranger  and  caused  Ralph  to  momentarily  forget 
the  incident.  Fogg  had  swung  back  the  water 
spout,  set  the  tender  cover,  and  climbed  down 
into  the  cab.  Then  he  took  the  side  light  signals 
and  went  around  to  the  pilot.  No.  999  carried 
two  flags  there,  now  to  be  replaced  by  lanterns. 
Fogg  came  back  to  the  cab  rolling  up  the  flags. 

"All  right,"  he  announced  ungraciously,  and 
hustled  Clark  to  one  side  without  ceremony  as  the 
latter  abandoned  his  seat.  Ralph  gave  the  starting 
signal  and  Clark  edged  back  in  the  tender  out  of 
the  way. 

The  young  engineer  took  a  good  look  at  his 
fireman.  The  latter  was  muddled,  it  was  plain 
to  see  that,  but  he  went  about  his  duties  with  a 
mechanical  routine  born  from  long  experience. 
Only  once  did  he  lurch  towards  Ralph  and  speak 
tc  him,  or  rather  hiss  out  the  words. 

"You'll  settle  with  me  for  your  impudence  yet, 
young  fellow.     You're  a  high  and  mighty,  you 


18         RALPH  OX  THE  Ol'ERLAND  EXPRESS 

are,  breaking  the  rules  giving  your  friends  a  free 
ride." 

Ralph  did  not  reply.  One  anxiety  kept  him 
devoted  to  his  work — to  lose  no  time.  A  glance 
at  the  clock  and  schedule  showed  a  ten  minutes' 
loss,  but  defective  or  experimental  firing  on  a  new 
locomotive  had  been  responsible  for  that,  and  he 
counted  on  making  a  spurt,  once  beyond 
Plympton. 

Marvin  Clark  knew  his  place,  and  Ralph  liked 
him  for  keeping  it.  1  he  young  fellow  watched 
everything  going  on  in  the  cab  in  a  shrewd, 
interested  fashion,  but  he  neither  got  in  the  way 
\>t  the  cross-grained  Fogg,  nor  pestered  Ralph 
vith  questions. 

Plympton  was  less  than  five  miles  ahead  just 
as  dusk  began  to  fall.  Ralph  noticed  that  his  fire- 
man rustled  about  with  a  good  deal  of  unnec- 
essary activity.  He  would  fire  up  to  the  limit,  as 
if  working  oft*  some  of  his  venge fulness  and 
malice.  Then  he  went  out  on  the  running  board, 
for  no  earthly  reason  that  Ralph  could  see,  and 
he  made  himself  generally  so  conspicuous  that 
young  Clark  leaned  over  and  said  to  Ralph. 

"What's  the  matter  with  your  fireman,  any- 
how— that  is,  besides  that  load  he's  got  aboard?" 

''Oh,  he  has  his  cross  moods,  like  all  of  us,  I 


A  SPECIAL  PASSENGER  jg 

suppose,"  explained  Ralph,  with  affected  in* 
difference. 

"I  wouldn't  take  him  for  a  very  pleasant  com- 
rade at  any  time,"  observed  Clark.  "It's  a  wonder 
he  don't  take  a  tumble.  There  he  is,  hitching 
around  to  the  pilot.    What  for,  I  wonder?" 

Ralph  was  not  paying  much  attention  to  what 
the  cab  passenger  was  saying.  He  had  made  up 
five  minutes,  and  his  quick  mind  was  now  plan- 
ning how  he  would  gain  five  more,  and  then 
double  that,  to  Plympton  and  beyond  it. 

He  gave  the  whistle  for  Plympton,  as,  shooting 
a  curve,  No.  999  drove  a  clattering  pace  down 
the  grade  with  the  lights  of  the  station  not  a 
quarter-of-a-mile  away.  They  were  set  for  clear 
tiacks,  as  they  should  be.  Ralph  gave  the  lever 
a  hitch  for  a  rattling  dash  on  ten  miles  of  clear 
running.  Then  fairly  up  to  the  first  station  sema- 
phore, he  broke  out  with  a  cry  so  sharp  and  dis- 
mayed that  young  Clark  echoed  it  in  questioning 
excitement. 

"The  siding!"  cried  Ralph,  with  a  jerk  of  the 
lever — "what's  the  meaning  of  this?" 

"Say!"  echoed  Clark,  in  a  startled  tone,  "that's 
quick  and  queer!" 

What  had  happened  was  this :  No.  999  'going 
at  full  speed  on  clear  signals  had  been  sent  to  a 
siding  and  the  signals   cancelled  without  a  mo- 


20    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

mcnt's  warning.  Under  ordinary  circumstances, 
a  train  thus  sidetracked  would  be  under  notified 
control  and  run  down  the  siding  only  a  short 
distance.  Going  at  high  speed,  however,  and 
with  a  full  head  of  steam  on,  Ralph  realized  that, 
long  as  the  siding  was,  he  would  have  to  woik 
quick  and  hard  to  check  down  the  big  locomotive 
before  she  slid  the  limit,  and  stuck  her  nose 
deep  into  the  sand  hill  that  blocked  the  terminus 
of  the  rails. 

It  was  quite  dark  now.  The  lights  of  the 
station  flashed  by.  Both  hands  in  use  to  check 
the  locomotive  and  set  the  air  brakes,  Ralph  leaned 
slightly  from  the  cab  window  and  peered  ahead. 

"Sluot  the  sand!"  he  cried,  almost  mechan- 
ically. 

It  was  a  good  thing  that  the  cab  passenger  was 
aboard  and  knew  something  about  the  cab  equip- 
ment. Young  Clark  reached  the  side  of  the 
engineer's  seat  in  a  nimble  spring.  His  hand 
located  the  sand  valve  without  hesitancy. 

Ralph  uttered  a  short,  sharp  gasp.  That  look 
ah*nd  had  scared  him.  He  was  doing  all  he 
could  to  slow  down,  and  was  doing  magnificently, 
for  the  reverse  action  moved  to  a  charm.  Still, 
he  saw  that  after  dashing  fully  two  hundred 
yards  down  the  siding,  the  natural  momentum 


A  SPECIAL  PASSENGER  21 

would  carry  the  train  fully  one-third  that  clis  • 
tance  further. 

"Any  obstruction?"  shot  out  his  agile  compan- 
ion, springing  to  the  fireman's  seat,  sticking  his 
head  out  of  the  window  and  staring  ahead. 
"Whew!  we're  going  to  hit." 

The  speaker  saw  what  Ralph  also  beheld. 
Dimly  outlined  directly  in  their  path  was  a  flat 
car,  and  above  it  skeletonized  against  the  fading 
sunset  sky,  was  the  framework  of  a  derrick.  A 
repair  or  construction  gondola  car  was  straight 
ahead  of  No.  999. 

They  seemed  to  be  approaching  it  swiftly  and 
irresistibly.  The  wheels  slid  now,  fairly  locked, 
there  was  a  marked  ease-down,  but  Ralph  saw 
plainly  that,  great  or  small,  a  collision  was  in- 
evitable. 

"Say,  that  fireman  of  yours!"  shouted  young 
Clark — "there  he  goes." 

The  locomotive  was  fairly  upon  the  obstruc- 
tion now.  Ralph  stuck  to  the  lever,  setting  his  lips 
firmly,  a  little  pale,  his  muscles  twitching  slightly 
ander  the  stress  of  excitement  and  suspense. 

"Zing!"  remarked  the  cool  comrade  of  the 
young  engineer — "we're  there!" 

At  that  moment  a  flying  form  shot  from  the 
running  board  of  the  locomotive.  Lemuel  Fogg 
had  jumped. 


CHAPTER  III 

ONE  OF  THE  RULES 

Locomotive  No.  999  landed  against  the 
bumper  of  the  gondola  car  with  a  sharp  shock. 
However,  there  was  no  crash  of  consequence. 
The  headlight  radiance  now  flooded  fully  the 
obstruction.     Young  Clark  suddenly  shouted : 

"Look  out!" 

The  quick-witted,  keen-eyed  special  passenger 
was  certainly  getting  railroad  training  so  coveted 
by  his  magnate  father.  He  saw  the  fireman  shoot 
through  the  air  in  his  frightened  jump  for  safety. 
Lemuel  Fogg  landed  in  a  muddy  ditch  at  the 
side  of  the  tracks,  up  to  his  knees  in  water. 

The  sharp,  warning  cry  of  Marvin  Clark  was 
not  needed  to  appraise  Ralph  of  the  danger  that 
threatened.  The  jar  of  the  collision  had  dis- 
placed and  upset  the  derrick.  Ralph  saw  it  falling 
slanting!}'  towards  them.  He  pulled  the  reverse 
lexer,  but  could  not  get  action  quick  enough  to 
entirely  evade  the  falling  derrick.  It  grazed  the 
headlight,  chopping  off  one  of  its  metal  wings. 


ONE  OF  THE  RULES  £3 

and  striking  the  pilot  crushed  in  one  side  of  the 
front  fender  rails. 

The  young  engineer  gave  the  signal  for  back- 
ing the  train,  and  kept  in  motion.  His  purpose 
was  to  allay  any  panic  on  the  part  of  the  passen- 
gers, whom  he  knew  must  be  alarmed  by  the 
erratic  tactics  of  the  past  few  moments.  Then 
after  thus  traversing  about  half  the  distance  back 
to  the  main  line,  he  shut  off  steam  and  whistled 
for  instructions. 

"Another  notch  in  my  education,"  observed 
young  Clark  with  a  chuckle — "been  waiting  to 
pass  examination  on  a  smash  up." 

"Oh,  this  isn't  one,"  replied  Ralph.  His  tone 
was  tense,  and  he  showed  that  he  was  disturbed. 
He  was  too  quick  a  thinker  not  to  at  once  com- 
prehend the  vital  issue  of  the  present  incident. 
With  Fogg  headed  down  the  track  towards  him 
from  the  ditch,  trying  to  overtake  the  train,  and 
the  conductor,  lantern  in  hand,  running  to  learn 
What  had  happened,  Ralph  sized  up  the  situation 
with  decided  annoyance. 

The  action  of  the  station  man  in  giving  the  free 
track  signal  and  then  at  a  critical  moment  shoot- 
ing the  special  onto  the  siding,  had  something 
mysterious  about  it  that  Ralph  could  not  readily 
solve.  The  slight  mishap  to  the  locomotive  and 
the  smashing  of  the  derrick  was  not  particularly 


24         RALPH  OX  THE  OJ'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

serious,  but  there  would  be  a  report,  au  investiga* 
tion,  and  somebody  would  be  blamed  and  pun- 
ished. Ralph  wanted  to  keep  a  clear  slate,  and 
here  was  a  bad  break,  right  at  the  threshold  of 
his  new  railroad  career. 

All  he  thought  of,  however,  were  the  delays, 
all  he  cared  for  at  this  particular  moment  was  to 
get  back  to  the  main  tracks  on  his  way  for  Bridge- 
port, with  a  chance  to  make  up  lost  time.  A  sud- 
den vague  suspicion  flashing  through  his  mind 
added  to  his  mental  disquietude :  was  there  a  plot 
to  purposely  cripple  or  delay  his  train,  so  that  he 
would  be  defeated  in  his  efforts  to  make  a  record 
run? 

"W hat's  this  tangle,  Fairbanks?"  shouted  out 
the  conductor  sharply,  as  he  arrived  breathless  and 
excited  at  the  side  of  the  cab. 

His  name  was  Dan  forth,  and  he  was  a  model 
employee  of  long  experience,  always  very  neat  and 
dressy  in  appearance  and  exact  and  systematic  in 
his  work.  Any  break  in  routine  nettled  him,  and 
he  spoke  quite  censuringly  to  the  young  engineer, 
whom,  however,  he  liked  greatly. 

"I'm  all  at  sea,  Mr.  Danforth,"  confessed  Ralph 
bluntly 

"Any  damage? — I  see,"  muttered  the  conduc- 
tor, going  forward  a  few  steps  and  surveying  the 
scratched,  bruised  face  of  the  locomotive. 


ONE  OF  THE  RULES  25 

"Theres'  a  gondola  derailed  and  a  derrick 
smashed  where  we  struck,"  reported  Ralph.  "I 
acted  on  my  duplicate  orders,  Mr.  Danforth,"  he 
jdded  earnestly,  "and  had  the  clear  signal  almost 
until  I  passed  it  and  shot  the  siding.' 

"I  don't  understand  it  at  all,"  remarked  the 
conductor  in  a  troubled  and  irritated  way.  "Yov* 
had  the  clear  signal,  you  say?" 

"Positively/  answered  Ralph. 

"Any  serious  damage  ahead?" 

"Nothing  of  consequence." 

"Back  slowly,  we'll  see  the  station  man  about 
this." 

The  conductor  mounted  to  the  cab  step,  and 
No.  999  backed  slowly.  As  they  neared  the  end 
of  the  siding  the  train  was  again  halted.  All 
down  its  length  heads  were  thrust  from  coach 
windows.  There  was  some  excitement  and  alarm, 
but  the  discipline  of  the  train  hands  and  the  young 
engineer's  provision  had  prevented  any  semblance 
of  panic. 

The  conductor,  lantern  in  hand,  ran  across  the 
/racks  to  the  station.  Ralph  saw  him  engaged  \v 
vigorous  conversation  with  the  man  on  duty  tliei^ 
The  conductor  had  taken  out  a  memorandum  book 
and  was  jotting  down  something.  The  station 
man  with  excited  gestures  ran  inside  the  depot,. 
and  the  signal   turned   to  clear   tracks.      Ralph 


2G    RALPH  OX  THE  OTERLAXD  EXPRESS 

switched  to  the  main.  Then  the  conductor  gave 
the  go  ahead  signal. 

"That's  cool,"  observed  young  Clark.  "J 
should  think  the  conductor  would  give  us  an  ink- 
ling of  how  all  this  came  about.'' 

"Oh,  we'll  learn  soon  enough,"  said  Ralph. 
"There  will  have  to  be  an  official  report  on  this." 

"I'm  curious.  Guess  I'll  go  back  and  worm  out 
an  explanation,"  spoke  Clark.  "I'll  see  you  with 
news  later." 

As  Clark  left  the  cab  on  one  side  Fogg  came  up 
on  the  other.  He  had  been  looking  over  the  front 
of  the  locomotive.  Ralph  noticed  that  he  did  not 
seem  to  have  suffered  any  damage  from  his  wiltf 
jump  beyond  a  slight  shaking  up.  He  was  wet 
and  spattered  to  the  waist,  however,  and  had  lost 
his  cap. 

Lemuel  Fogg's  eyes  wore  a  frightened,  shifty 
expression  as  he  stepped  to  the  tender.  His  face 
was  wretchedly  pale,  his  hands  trembled  as  he 
proceeded  to  pile  in  the  coal.  Every  vestige  of 
unsteadiness  and  maudlin  bravado  was  gone.  He 
resembled  a  man  who  had  gazed  upon  some 
unexpected  danger,  and  there  was  a  half  guilti- 
ness in  his  manner  as  if  he  was  responsible  for 
the  impending  mishap. 

The  fireman  did  not  speak  a  word,  and  Ralph, 
♦r/iisidered  that  it  was  no  time  for  discussion  01 


ONE  OF  THE  RULES  $» 

explanations.  The  injury  to  the  locomotive  wa? 
comparatively  slight,  and  with  a  somewhat  wor- 
ried glance  at  the  clock  and  schedule  card  the 
young  railroader  focussed  all  his  ability  and  atten- 
tion upon  making  up  for  lost  time. 

Soon  Ralph  was  so  engrossed  in  his  work  that 
he  forgot  the  fireman,  young  Clark,  the  accident, 
everything  except  that  he  was  driving  a  mighty 
steel  steed  in  a  race  against  time,  with  either  the 
winning  post  or  defeat  in  view.  There  was  a 
rare  pride  in  the  thought  that  upon  him  depended 
a  new  railway  record.  There  was  a  fascinating 
exhiliration  in  observing  the  new  king  of  the  road 
gain  steadily  half  a  mile,  one  mile,  two  miles, 
overlapping  lost  time. 

A  smile  of  joy  crossed  the  face  of  the  young 
engineer,  a  great  aspiration  of  relief  and  triumph 
escaped  his  lips  as  No.  999  pulled  into  Derby 
two  hours  later.  They  were  twenty-one  minutes 
ahead  of  time. 

"Mr.  Fogg,"  shouted  Ralph  across  to  the  fire- 
man's seat,  "you're  a  brick!" 

It  was  the  first  word  that  had  passed  between 
them  since  the  mishap  at  the  siding,  but  many  a 
grateful  glance  had  the  young  engineer  cast  at  his 
helper.  It  seemed  as  if  the  shake-up  at  Plympton 
had  shaken  all  the  nonsense  out  of  Lemuel  Fogg. 
Before  that  it  had  been  evident  to  Ralph  that  the 


fcg         RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

fireman  was  doing  all  he  could  to  queer  the  run 
He  had  been  slow  in  firing  and  then  had  choked 
the  furnace.  His  movements  had  been  suspicions 
and  then  alarming  to  Ralph,  but  since  leaving 
Plympton  he  had  acted  like  a  different  person. 
Ralph  knew  from  practical  experience  what  good 
firing  was,  and  he  had  to  admit  that  Fogg  had 
outdone  himself  in  the  splendid  run  of  the  last 
one  hundred  miles.  lie  was  therefore  fully  in 
earnest  when  he  enthusiastically  designated  his 
erratic  helper  as  a  "brick." 

It  was  hard  for  Fogg  to  come  out  from  his 
grumpiness  and  cross-grained  malice  quickly. 
Half  resentful,  half  shamed,  he  cast  a  furtive, 
sullen  look  at  Ralph. 

"Humph !"  he  muttered,  "it  isn't  any  brick  that 
did  it — it  was  the  briquettes." 

"The  what,  Mr.  Fogg?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Them,"  and  with  contemptuous  indifference 
Fogg  pointed  to  a  coarse  sack  lying  among  the 
coal.  "New-fangled  fuel.  Master  mechanic 
wanted  to  make  a  test." 

"Why,  yes,  I  heard  about  that."  said  Ralph 
quickly.  "Look  like  baseballs.  Full  of  pitch,  oil 
and  sulphur,  I  understand.  They  say  they  urge 
np  the  fire." 

"They  do,  they  burn  like  powder.  They  are 
great  steam  makers,  and  no  question,"  observed 


OXE  OF  THE  RULES  29 

Fogg.     "Won't  do  for  a  regular  thing,  though." 

"No?"  insinuated  Ralph  attentively,  glad  to 
rouse  his  grouchy  helper  from  his  morose  mood 

"Not  a  bit  of  it." 

"Why  not?" 

"Used  right  along,  they'd  burn  out  any  crown 
sheet.  What's  more,  wait  till  you  come  to  clean 
up — the  whole  furnace  will  be  choked  with 
cinders." 

"I  see,"  nodded  Ralph,  and  just  then  they 
rounded  near  Macon  for  a  fifteen  minutes  wait 

As  Fogg  went  outside  with  oil  can  and  waste 
•■oil,  Mervin  Clark  came  into  the  cab. 

"Glad  to  get  back  where  it's  home  like,"  he  sang 
out  in  his  chirp,  brisk  way.  "Say,  Engineer  Fair- 
banks, that  monument  of  brass  buttons  and  gold 
cap  braid  is  the  limit.  Discipline?  why,  he  works 
on  springs  and  you  have  to  touch  a  button  to 
make  him  act.  I  had  to  chum  with  the  brakeman 
to  find  out  what's  up." 

"Something  is  up,  then?"  inquired  Ralph  a 
rifle  uneasily, 

"Oh,  quite.  The  conductor  has  been  writing  z 
•en-page  report  on  the  collision.  It's  funny,  bin 
die  station  man  at  P?ympton " 

"New  man,  isn't  he?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Just  transferred  tD  Plympton  yesterday  morn- 
">n,"  explained  Clark     "Well  he  swears  that  youi 


30    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

front  signals  were  special  at  the  curves  and  flashed 
green  just  as  you  neared  the  semaphore." 

"Absurd!"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

"That's  what  the  conductor  says,  too,"  said 
Clark.  "He  told  the  station  agent  so.  They 
nearly  had  a  fight.  'Color  blind !'  he  told  the 
station  agent  and  challenged  him  to  find  green 
lights  on  No.  999  if  he  could.  The  station  man 
was  awfully  rattled  and  worried.  lie  says  he 
knew  a  special  was  on  the  list,  but  being  new  to 
this  part  of  the  road  he  acted  on  Rule  23  when 
he  saw  the  green  lights.  He  sticks  to  that,  says 
jhat  he  will  positively  swear  to  it.  He  says  he 
tnows  some  one  will  be  slated,  but  it  won't  be 
Mm." 

"What  does  the  conductor  say?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"He  says  Rule  23  doesn't  apply,  as  the  white 
(i ghts  prove  If  there  was  any  trickery  or  any 
mistake,  then  it's  up  to  the  fireman,  not  to  the 
engineer  " 

At  that  moment,  happening  to  glance  past 
Clark,  the  young  engineer  caught  sight  of  Lem- 
uel Fogg  The  latter,  half  crouching  near  a  drive 
wheel,  was  listening  intently.  The  torch  he  car- 
ried illuminated  a  pale,  twitching  face.  His  eyes 
;vere  filled  with  a  craven  fear,  and  Ralph  tried  ta 
imagine  what  was  passing  through  his  mind. 


ONE  OF  THE  RULES  %\ 

There  was  something  mysterious  about  Fogg"* 
actions,  yet  Ralph  accepted  the  theory  of  the  con 
Juctoi  thai  the  station  man  had  made  a  careless 
blunder  or  was  color  blind. 

"You  see,  it  isn't  that  the  smash  up  amounts 
.o  much,  explained  Clark,  "but  it  might  have, 
3ee?" 

"Yes,  i  see,    replied  Ralph  thoughtfully. 

"Then  again,"  continued  Clark,  "the  conductoi 
says  that  it  delayed  a  test  run,  and  there's  a 
scratched  locomotive  and  a  busted  construction 
car." 

"I'm  thankful  that  no  one  was  hurt,"  saitf 
Ralph  earnestly. 

When  the  next  start  was  made,  Fogg  was  taci- 
turn and  gloomy-looking,  but  attended  stnctl) 
to  his  duty.  Ralph  voted  him  to  be  a  capital  fire 
man  when  he  wanted  to  be.  As  an  hour  aftei 
midnight  they  spurted  past  Hopeville  forty  min- 
utes to  the  good,  he  could  not  help  shouting  ovei 
a  delighted  word  of  commendation  to  Fogg. 

"I  said  you  were  a  brick,  Mr.  Fogg,"  he 
observed.  "You're  more  than  that — you're  a 
wonder." 

Fogg's  face  momentarily  lighted  up.  It  looked 
tio  if  he  was  half  minded  to  come  out  of  his  shell 
ftiid  give  some  gracious  response,  but  instantly  the 


32    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

old  sullcnness  settled  down  over  His  face,  accom« 
panied  by  a  gloomy  manner  that  Ralph  could  not 
analyze.  He  half  believed,  however,  that  Fogg 
was  a  pretty  good  fellow  at  heart,  had  started 
out  to  queer  the  run,  and  was  now  sorry  and 
ashamed  that  he  had  betrayed  his  weakness  for 
drink. 

"Maybe  he  is  genuinely  sorry  for  his  tan- 
trums," reflected  Ralph,  "and  maybe  our  narrow 
escape  at  the  siding  has  sobered  him  into  common 
sense." 

What  the  glum  and  gruff  fireman  lacked  of 
comradeship,  the  young  passenger  made  up  in 
jolly  good  cheer.  He  was  interested  in  everything 
going  on.  He  found  opportunity  to  tell  Ralph 
several  rattling  good  stories,  full  of  incident  and 
humor,  of  his  amateur  railroad  experiences,  and 
the  time  was  whiled  away  pleasantly  for  these  two 
acquaintances. 

Ralph  could  not  repress  a  grand,  satisfied 
expression  of  exultation  as  Nc.  999  glided  grace- 
fully into  the  depot  at  Bridgeport,  over  forty- 
eeven  minutes  ahead  of  time. 

The  station  master  and  the  assistant  superin- 
tendent of  the  division  came  up  to  the  cab 
instantly,  the  hitter  with  his  watch  in  his  hand. 

"Worth  waiting  for,  this,  Fairbanks,"  he  called 


ONE  OF  THE  RULES  33 

out  cheerily — he  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
young  railroader,  for  Ralph  had  fired  freights  to 
this  point  over  the  Great  Northern  once  regu- 
larly for  several  weeks.  "I'll  send  in  a  bouncing 
good  report  with  lots  of  pleasure." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Ralph.  "We've  demon- 
strated, anyhow." 

"You  have,  Fairbanks;"  returned  the  official 
commendingly. 

"Only,  don't  lay  any  stress  on  my  part  of  it," 
said  Ralph.  "Any  engineer  could  run  such  a 
superb  monarch  of  the  rail  as  No.  999.  If  you 
don't  tell  them  how  much  the  experiment 
depended  on  our  good  friend,  Fogg,  here,  I  will 
have  to,  that's  all." 

The  fireman  flushed.  His  eyes  had  a  momen- 
tary pleased  expression,  and  he  glanced  at  Ralph, 
really  grateful.  He  almost  made  a  move  as  if  to 
heartily  shake  the  hand  of  his  unselfish  champion. 

"You're  too  modest,  Fairbanks,"  laughed  the 
assistant  superintendent,  "but  we'll  boost  Fogg, 
just  as  he  deserves.  It's  been  a  hard,  anxious 
run,  I'll  warrant.  We've  got  a  relief  crew  com- 
ing, so  you  can  get  to  bed  just  as  soon  as  you 
like." 

The  passenger  coaches  were  soon  emptied  of 
the  through  passengers.     A  local  engineer,  fire- 


34    RALPH  OS  THE  OVERLASD  EXPRESS 

rnan  and  brakeman  took  charge  of  the  train  to 
switch  the  China  &  Japan  Mail  car  over  to  another 
track,  ready  to  hitch  on  to  the  Overland  express, 
soon  to  arrive,  sidetrack  the  other  coaches,  and 
take  Xo.  999  to  the  roundhouse. 


CHAPTER  IV 


A   WARNING 


Ralph  doffed  his  working  clothes,  washed  up  at 
the  tender  spigot.,  and  joined  Clark,  who  stood 
waiting  for  him  on  the  platform.  Fogg,  without 
tidying  up.  in  a  sort  of  tired,  indifferent  way  was 
already  some  distance  down  the  platform.  Ralph 
hurried  after  him. 

"Six-fifteen  to-night.  Mr.  Fogg,  isn't  it?"  spoke 
Ralph,  more  to  say  something  than  anything  else. 

"That's  right,"  returned  Fogg  curtly. 

"Griscom  directed  me  to  a  neat,  quiet  lodging 
house."  added  Ralph.    ''Won't  you  join  me?" 

'"Can't — got  some  friends  waiting  for  me," 
responded  the  fireman. 

Ralph  followed  him  seriously  and  sadly  with 
his  eyes.  Fogg  was  making  for  Railroad  Row, 
with  its  red  saloon  signs,  and  Ralph  felt  sorry 
for  him. 

"See  here."  spoke  Clark,  as  they  walked  along 
together,  "headed  for  a  bunk,  I  suppose?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph.  ''John  Griscom,  that's 
35 


3G        RALPH  OX  THE  Ol'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

our  veteran  engineer,  and  a  rare  good  friend  of 
mine,  told  me  about  a  cheap,  comfortable  lodg- 
ing house  to  put  up  at.  It's  some  distance  from 
the  depot,  but  I  believe  I  shall  go  there." 

"Good  idea,"  approved  Clark.  "I've  been  in 
some  of  those  railroad  men's  hotels  yonder,  and 
they're  not  very  high  toned — nor  clean." 

"What's  your  program?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Got  to  sleep,  I  suppose,  so,  if  I'm  not  too  much 
of  a  bore  and  it's  pleasing  to  you,  I'll  try  the  place 
your  friend  recommends." 

"I   shall   be   delighted,"   answered   Ralph. 

Within  half-an-hour  both  tired  lads  tumbled 
into  their  beds  in  rooms  adjoining  in  a  private 
house  about  half  a  mile  from  the  depot.  Ralph 
stretched  himself  luxuriously,  as  he  rested  after 
the  turmoil  and  labor  of  what  he  considered  the 
most  arduous  day  in  his  railroad  career. 

The  young  engineer  awoke  with  the  bright  sun 
shining  in  his  face  and  was  out  of  bed  in  a  jiffy. 
These  lay-over  days  had  always  been  prized  by 
the  young  railroader,  and  he  planned  to  put  the 
present  one  to  good  use.  He  went  to  the  closed 
door  communicating  with  the  next  room  and 
tapped  on  it. 

"Hey,  there!"  he  hailed  briskly,  "time  to  get 
up,"  then,  no  response  coming,  he  opened  the  door 
to  find  the  apartment  deserted. 


A  WARNING  37 

"An  early  bird,  it  seems,"  observed  Ralph. 
''Probably  gone  for  breakfast." 

John  Griscom  had  told  Ralph  all  about  the 
house  he  was  in,  and  the  young  engineer  soon 
located  the  bathroom  and  took  a  vigorous  cold 
plunge  that  made  him  feel  equal  to  die  task  of 
running  a  double-header  special.  Ralph  had  just 
dressed  when  Marvin  Clark  came  bustling  into  the 
room. 

"Twenty  minutes  for  breakfast !"  hailed  the 
rolatile  lad.     "I've  been  up  an  hour." 

"You  didn't  take  a  two  hundred  mile  run,  or 
you  wouldn't  be  up  for  four,"  challenged  Ralph. 

"Guess  that's  so,"  admitted  Clark.  "Well,  here 
we  are.    I've  been  out  prospecting." 

"What  for?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"A  good  restaurant." 

"Found  one?" 

"A  dandy — wheat  cakes  with  honey,  prhrTe 
country  sausages  and  Mocha,  all  for  twenty 
cents." 

"Good,"  commended  Ralph.  "We'll  take  air 
line  for  that  right  away." 

Clark  chattered  like  a  magpie  as  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  street.  It  was  evident  that  he  had 
taken  a  great  fancy  to  Ralph.  The  latter  liked 
him  in  return.  For  the  son  of  a  wealthy  railroad 
magnate,  Clark  was  decidedly  democratic.     The 


38    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

one  subject  he  seemed  glad  to  avoid  was  any  refer- 
ence to  his  direct  family  and  friends. 

lie  was  full  of  life,  and  Ralph  found  him  very 
entertaining.  Sonic  bad  breaks  in  grammar 
showed,  indeed,  that  he  had  not  amounted  to  much 
at  school.  Some  of  his  adventures  also  suggested 
that  the  presence  and  power  of  money  had  not 
always  been  at  his  command.  Ralph  noticed  some 
inconsistencies  in  his  stories  here  and  there,  but 
Clark  rattled  on  so  fast  and  jumped  so  briskly 
from  one  subject  to  another,  that  it  was  hard 
work  to  check  him  up. 

As  they  reached  the  porch  of  the  house  Clark 
gave  Ralph  a  deterring  touch  with  his  hand. 

"Just  wait  a  minute,  will  you?"  he  spoke. 

"Why  what  for?"  inquired  Ralph  in  sonic 
surprise. 

"I  want  to  find  out  something  before  we  go 
out  into  the  street,"  and  the  speaker  glided  down 
the  walk  to  the  gate,  peered  down  the  street,  and 
then  beckoned  to  his  companion. 

"Come  on,"  he  hailed.  "They're  still  there, 
though,"  he  added,  his  tones  quite  impressive. 

"Who  is  there?"  asked  Ralph. 

"Just  dally  at  the  gate  here  and  take  a  look  past 
the  next  street  corner — near  where  there's  an 
alley,  see:" 


A  WARNING  39 

'That  crowd  of  boys?"  questioned  Ralph,  fol- 
lowing his  companion's  direction. 

"Yes,  that  gang  of  hoodlums,"  responded  Clark 
bluntly,  "for  that  is  what  they  are." 

"And  how  are  we  interested  in  them?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"We're  not,  but  they  may  become  interested  in 
us." 

"Indeed?" 

"Mightily,  if  I  don't  mistake  my  cue,"  asserted 
Clark. 

"You  are  pretty  mysterious,"  hinted  Ralph, 
half-smiling. 

"Well,  I'll  explain.  Those  fellows  are  laying 
for  you." 

"Laying  for  me?"  repeated  Ralph  vaguely. 

"That's  it." 

"Why?  They  don't  know  me,  and  I  don't 
know  them." 

"Not  much  acquainted  at  Bridgeport,  eh?" 

"Only  casually.  I've  laid  over  here  several 
times  when  I  was  firing  on  the  fast  freight.  I 
know  a  few  railroad  men,  that's  all." 

"Ever  hear  of  Billy  Bouncer?" 

"I  never  did." 

"Then  I'm  the  first  one  to  enlighten  you. 
When  I  went  out  to  find  a  restaurant  I  passed  that 
crowd  you  see.    I  noticed  that  they  drew  together 


40         RALPH  OX  THE  Ol'ERL.lXD  EXPRESS 

and  scanned  me  pretty  closely.  Then  I  heard 
one  of  them  say,  'That's  not  Fairbanks.'  'Yes,  it 
is,  didn't  he  come  out  of  [lie  place  we're  watch- 
ing?' said  another.  'Aw,  let  up,'  spoke  a  third 
voice.  'Bill}-  Bouncer  will  know,  and  we  don't 
want  to  spoil  his  game.    He'll  be  here  soon.'  " 

"That's  strange,"  said  Ralph  musingly. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?"  inquired 
Clark. 

"Oh,  I'm  not  at  all  alarmed,"  replied  Ralph, 
"barely  interested,  that's  all.  We'll  walk  by  the 
crowd  and  see  if  they  won't  throw  some  further 
light  on  the  subject." 

"Tell  you,  Fairbanks,"  said  Clark  quite  seri- 
ously, "I'm  putting  two  and  two  together." 

"Well,"  laughed  Ralph,  "that  makes  four — go 
ahead." 

"More  than  four — a  regular  mob.  That  crowd, 
as  I  said,  for  some  reason  is  Laying  for  you. 
What's  the  answer?  They  have  been  put  up  to 
it  by  some  one.  You  know,  you  told  me  inciden- 
tally that  you  had  some  enemies  on  account  of 
the  big  boost  you've  got  in  the  service.  You  said, 
too,  that  your  friend.  Engineer  Griscom,  warned 
you  on  just  that  point.  I  haven't  said  much  so 
far,  but  the  actions  of  that  grouch  fireman  of 
yours,  Fogg,  looked  decidedly  queer  and  suspi' 
cious  to  me." 


A  WARK1XG  4f 

Ralph  made  no  comment  on  this.  He  had  hig 
own  ideas  on  the  subject,  but  did  not  feel  war- 
ranted in  fully  expressing  them. 

"I  believe  that  Fogg  started  out  on  your  run 
yesterday  to  queer  it.  Why  he  changed  tactics 
later,  I  can't  tell.  Maybe  he  was  scared  by  the 
smashup  on  the  siding.  Anyhow,  I  never  saw 
such  mortal  malice  in  the  face  of  any  man  as  that 
I  say  in  his  when  I  came  aboard  No.  999.  This 
crowd  down  the  street  is  evidently  after  you. 
Some  one  has  put  them  up  to  it." 

"Oh,  you  can't  mean  Fogg!"  exclaimed  Ralph 

"I  don't  know,"  replied  Clark. 

"I  can't  believe  that  he  would  plot  against  me 
that  far,"  declared  Ralph. 

"A  malicious  enemy  will  do  anything  to  reach 
his  ends,"  said  Clark.  "Doesn't  he  want  you 
knocked  out?  Doesn't  he  want  your  place? 
What  would  suit  his  plans  better  than  to  have  you 
so  mauled  and  battered,  that  you  couldn't  show  up 
for  the  return  trip  to  Stanley  Junction  this  after- 
noon?   Are  you  going  past  that  crowd?" 

"I  certainly  shall  not  show  the  white  feather  by 
going  out  of  my  way,"  replied  Ralph. 

"Well,  if  that's  your  disposition,  I'm  at  your 
call  if  they  tackle  us,"  announced  Clark. 

They  proceeded  down  the  street,  and  Ralph  as 
they  advanced  had  a  good  view  of  the  crowd, 


40    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

which,  according  to  the  views  of  his  companion, 
was  laying  in  wait  for  him.  There  were  about 
fifteen  of  them,  ranging  from  selfish-faced  lads 
of  ten  or  so  up  to  big,  hulking  fellows  of  twenty. 
They  represented  the  average  city  gang  of  idlers 
and  hoodlums.  They  were  hanging  around  the 
entrance  to  the  alley  as  if  waiting  for  some  mis- 
chief to  turn  up.  Ralph  noticed  a  rustling  among 
them  as  he  was  observed.  The)'  grouped 
together.  He  fancied  one  or  two  of  them  pointed 
at  him,  but  there  was  no  further  indication  of 
belligerent  attention  as  he  and  Clark  approached 
nearer  to  the  crowd. 

"I  fancy  Billy  Bouncer,  whcsve.-  he  is,  hasn'' 
arrived  yet,"  observed  Clark. 

Just  then  one  of  the  mob  set  up  a  shout. 

"Hi  there,  Wheels!"  he  hailed,  and  some  addi- 
tional jeers  went  up  from  his  fellows.  Their 
attention  seemed  directed  across  the  street,  and 
Ralph  and  Clark  glanced  thither. 


CHAPTER  V 


AT    BAY 


A  queer-looking  boy  about  eighteen  years  of 
age  was  proceeding  slowly  down  the  pavement. 
He  was  stockily  built,  and  had  an  unusually  mas- 
sive head  and  great  broad  shoulders.  He  was  a 
boy  who  would  be  remarked  about  almost  any- 
where. His  hair  was  long,  and  this  gave  him  a 
somewhat  leonine  aspect. 

The  hat  of  this  boy  was  pushed  far  back  on 
his  head,  and  his  eyes  were  fixed  and  his  atten- 
tion apparently  deeply  absorbed  upon  an  object  he 
held  in  his  hand.  This  was  a  thin  wooden  rod 
with  two  cardboard  wheels  attached  to  it.  These 
he  would  blow,  causing  them  to  revolve  rapidly. 
Then  he  would  study  their  gyrations  critically, 
Wait  till  they  had  run  down,  and  then  repeat  the 
maneuver.  ,  , 

His  side  coat  pockets  were  bulging,  one  with  a 
lot  of  papers.  From  the  other  protruded  what 
seemed  to  be  a  part  of  a  toy.  or  some  real  mechan- 
ical device  having  also  wheels  in  its  construction. 

43 


44    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Well,  there's  a  queer  make-up!"  observed 
Clark  in  profound  surprise. 

"lie  is  certainly  eccentric  in  his  appearance," 
said  Ralph.     "I  wonder  who  he  can  be." 

"No,  what  he  can  be,"  corrected  Clark,  "foi 
he's  an  odd  genius  of  some  kind,  I'll  wager.'' 

The  object  of  their  interest  and  curiosity  had 
heard  the  derisive  hail  from  across  the  street. 
He  halted  dead  short,  stared  around  him  like  a 
person  abruptly  aroused  from  a  dream,  traced  the 
call  to  its  source,  thrust  the  device  with  which  h« 
had  been  experimenting  into  his  pocket,  and  fixing 
his  eyes  on  his  mockers,  started  across  the  street 
The  hoodlum  crowd  nudged  one  another,  blinked, 
winked,  and  looked  as  if  expecting  developments 
of  some  fun.  The  object  of  their  d^risici:  locked 
them  over  in  a  calculating  fashion. 

"Did  any  one  here  speak  to  me?"  he  asked. 

"No,  Wheels — it  was  the  birdies  calling  you!" 
hooted  a  jocose  voice. 

"You  sort  of  suggest  something,  somehow," 
drawled  the  lad  in  an  abstracted,  groping  way. 
"Yes,  certainly,  let  me  see.  What  is  it?  Ah,  per- 
haps I've  made  a  memorandum  of  it." 

The  lad  poked  into  several  vest  pockets.  Finally 
he  unearthed  a  card  which  seemed  to  be  all  written 
over,  and  he  ran  his  eye  down  this.  The  crowd 
chuckled  at  the  profound  solemnity  of  his  manner. 


AT  BAY  45 

"H'm,"  observed  the  boy  designated  as 
"Wheels."  "Let  me  see.  'Get  shoes  mended.' 
No,  that  isn't  it.  I  have  such  a  bad  memory. 
'Order  some  insulated  wire.'  No,  that's  for  an 
uptown  call.  'Buy  Drummond  on  Superheated 
Steam.'  That's  for  the  bookstore.  Ah,  here  we 
have  it.  'Kick  Jim  Scroggins.'  Who's  Jim? 
Aha!  you  young  villain,  I  remember  you  well 
enough  now,"  and  with  an  activity  which  could 
scarcely  be  anticipated  from  so  easy-going  an  indi- 
vidual, Wheels  made  a  dive  for  a  big  hulking  fel- 
low on  the  edge  of  the  crowd.  He  chased  him  a 
few  feet,  and  planted  a  kick  that  lifted  the  yelling 
hoodlum  a  foot  from  the  ground.  Then,  calmly 
taking  out  a  pencil,  he  crossed  off  the  memoran- 
dum— "Kick  Jim  Scroggins" — gave  the  crowd  a 
warning  glance,  and  proceeded  coolly  down  the 
sidewalk,  resuming  his  occupation  with  the  con- 
trivance he  had  placed  in  his  pocket. 

The  gang  of  loafers  had  drawn  back.  A  sight 
of  the  massive  arms  and  sledge  hammer  fists  of 
she  young  giant  they  had  derided,  and  his  prompt 
measures  with  one  of  their  cronies,  dissuaded 
them  from  any  warlike  move. 

"Whoop!"  commented  Clark  in  an  exultant 
undertone,  and  he  fairly  leaned  against  his  com- 
panion in  a  paroxysm  of  uncontrollable  laughter. 
"Qiucl-c.  nifty  and  entertaining,  that!     Say  Engi- 


4G    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

neer  Fairbanks,  I  don't  know  who  that  fellow 
Wheels  is,  but  I'd  be  interested  and  proud  to  make 
his  acquaintance.  Now  steam  up  and  air  brake 
ready,  while  we  pass  the  crossing!" 

"Passing  the  crossing,"  as  Clark  designated  it, 
proved,  however,  to  be  no  difficult  proceeding. 
The  crowd  of  hoodlums  had  got  a  set-back  from 
the  boy  with  the  piston-rod  arm,  it  seemed.  They 
scanned  Ralph  and  Clark  keenly  as  they  passed 
by,  but  made  no  attempt  to  either  hail  or  halt 
them. 

"We've  run  the  gauntlet  this  time,"  remarked 
Clark.    "Hello — four  times!" 

The  vigilant  companion  of  the  young  engineer 
was  glancing  over  his  shoulder  as  he  made  this 
6udden  and  forcible  remark. 

"Four  times  what?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"That  fireman  of  yours." 

"Mr.  Fogg?" 

"Yes." 

"What  about  him?" 

"Say,"  replied  Clark,  edging  close  to  Ralph, 
"just  take  a  careless  backward  look,  will  you? 
About  half  the  square  down  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street  you'll  see  Fogg." 

"Why  such  caution  and  mystery?"  propounded 
Ralph. 

"I'll  tell  you  later.     See  him?"  inquired  Ctark, 


AT  BAY  47 

as  Ralph  followed  out  the  suggestion  he  had 
made. 

Ralph  nodded  assentingly.  He  had  made  out 
Fogg  as  Clark  had  described.  The  fireman  was 
walking  along  in  the  direction  they  were  proceed- 
ing. There  was  something  stealthy  and  sinister 
in  the  way  in  which  he  kept  close  to  the  buildings 
lining  the  sidewalk. 

"That's  four  times  I've  noticed  Fogg  in  thi? 
vicinity  this  morning,"  reported  Clark.  "I  dis- 
covered him  opposite  the  lodging  house  when  I 
first  came  out  this  morning.  When  I  came  back 
he  was  skulking  in  an  open  entry,  next  door. 
When  we  left  the  house  together  I  saw  him  a 
block  away,  standing  behind  a  tree.  Now  he  bob? 
up  again." 

"I  can't  understand  his  motive,"  said  Ralph 
thoughtfully. 

"I  can,"  declared  Clark  with  emphasis. 

"What's  your  theory?" 

"It's  no  theory  at  all,  it's  a  dead  certainty," 
insisted  Clark.  "Your  fireman  and  that  gang  of 
hoodlums  hitch  together  in  some  way,  you  mark 
my  words.  Well,  let  it  slide  for  a  bit.  I'm  hun- 
gry as  a  bear,  and  here's  the  restaurant." 

It  was  a  neat  and  inviting  place,  and  with  appe- 
tizing zeal  the  two  boys  entered  and  seated  them- 
selves at  a  table  and  gave  their  order  for  wheat 


aS    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

cakes  with  honey  and  prime  country  sausages. 
Jnst  as  the  waiter  brought  in  the  steaming  meal, 
Clark,  whose  face  was  toward  the  street,  said : 

"Fogg  just  passed  by,  and  there  goes  the  crowd 
of  boys.  I'm  thinking  they'll  give  us  a  chance  to 
settle  our  meal.  Engineer  Fairbanks!" 

"All  right,"  responded  Ralph  quietly,  "if  that's 
the  first  task  of  the  day,  we'll  be  in  trim  to  tackle 
it  with  this  fine  meal  as  a  foundation." 

Their  youthful,  healthy  appetites  made  a  feast 
of  the  repast.  Clark  doubled  his  order,  and  Ralph 
did  full  credit  to  all  the  things  set  before  him. 

"I  was  thinking,"  he  remarked,  as  they  paid 
their  checks  at  the  cashier's  counter,  "that  we 
might  put  in  the  day  looking  around  the  town." 

"Why,  yes,"  assented  his  companion  approv- 
ingly, "that  is,  if  you're  going  to  let  me  keep  with 
you." 

"Why  not?"  smiled  Ralph.  "You  seem  to 
think  I  may  need  a  guardian." 

"I've  got  nothing  to  do  but  put  in  the  time, 
and  get  a  signed  voucher  from  you  that  I  did  so 
in  actual  railroad  service  and  in  good  company," 
explained  Clark.  "I  think  I  will  go  back  to  Stan- 
ley Junction  on  your  return  run,  if  it  can  be 
arranged." 

"It  is  arranged  already,  if  you  say  so,"  said 


AT  DAY  49 

Ralph.  "We  seem  to  get  on  together  pretty  well, 
and  I'm  glad  to  have  you  with  me." 

"Now,  that's  handsome,  Engineer  Fairbanks!" 
replied  Clark.  "There's  some  moving  picture 
shows  in  town  here,  open  after  ten  o'clock,  and 
there's  a  mechanics'  library  with  quite  a  museum 
of  railroad  contrivances.  We've  got  time  to  tak«» 
it  all  in.  Come  on.  Unless  that  crowd  stops  us, 
we'll  start  the  merry  program  rolling.  No  one 
in  sight,"  the  youth  continued,  as  they  stepped  into 
the  street  and  he  glanced  its  length  in  both  direc- 
tions. "Have  the  enemy  deserted  the  field,  or  are 
they  lying  in  ambush  for  us?" 

They  linktd  arms  and  sauntered  down  the  pave- 
ment. They  had  proceeded  nearly  two  squares, 
when,  passing  an  alley,  both  halted  summarily. 

"Hello!  here's  business,  I  guess,"  said  Clark, 
and  he  and  Ralph  scanned  closely  the  group  they 
had  passed  just  before  the  breakfast  meal. 

The  hoodlum  gang  had  suddenly  appeared  from 
the  alleyway,  and  forming  a  circle,  surrounded 
them.  There  was  an  addition  to  their  ranks 
Ralph  noted  this  instantly.  He  was  a  rowdy- 
looking  chunk  of  a  fellow,  and  the  swing  of  his 
body,  the  look  on  his  face  and  the  expression  in 
his  eyes  showed  that  he  delighted  in  thinking  him- 
self a  "tough  customer."  Backed  by  his  com- 
rades,   who   looked    vicious    and    expectant,    lit 


50        RALPH  ON  THE  Ol'ERLAND  EXPRESS 

marched  straight  up  to  Ralph,  who  did  not  flinch  a 
particle. 

"You  look  like  Fairbanks  to  me — Fairbanks, 
the  engineer,"  he  observed,  fixing  a  glance  upon 
Ralph  meant  to  dismay. 

"Yes,  that  is  my  name,"  said  Ralph  quietly. 

"Well,"  asserted  the  big  fellow,  "I've  been  look- 
ing for  you,  and  I'm  going  to  whip  the  life  out  of 
you." 


CHAPTER  VI 

FOUR  MEDALS 

Marvin  Clark  stepped  promptly  forward  at 
the  announcement  of  the  overgrown  lout,  who 
had  signified  his  intention  of  whipping  the  young 
engineer  of  No.  999.  Clark  had  told  Ralph  that 
athletics  was  his  strong  forte.  He  looked  it  at 
he  squared  firmly  before  the  bully. 

"Going  to  wallop  somebody,  are  you?"  spok$ 
Clark  cooly.  "Watch  the  system-cylinder" — an4 
the  speaker  gave  to  his  arms  a  rotary  motion  s<J 
rapid  that  it  was  fairly  dizzying,  "or  piston  rods," 
and  one  fist  met  the  bulging  breast  of  the  fellow 
with  a  force  that  sent  him  reeling  backwards  sev- 
eral feet. 

"Hey,  there!  you  keep  out  of  this,  if  you  don't 
want  to  be  massacreed!"  spoke  a  voice  at  Clark's 
elbow,  and  he  was  seized  by  several  of  the  rowdy 
crowd  ana  forced  back  from  the  side  of  Ralph. 

"Hands  off!"  shouted  Clark,  and  he  cleared  a 
circle  about  him  with  a  vigorous  sweep  of  his 
arms. 

51 


K2    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Don't  you  mix  in  a  fair  fight,  then,"  warned  * 
big  fellow  in  the  crowd,  threateningly 

"Ah,  it's  going  to  be  a  fair  fight,  is  it?M 
demanded  Clark 

"Yes,  it  is." 

"I'll  sec  to  it  that  it  is,"  remarked  Clark  briefly 

The  fellow  he  had  dazed  with  his  rapid-fire 
display  of  muscle  had  regained  his  poise,  and  was 
now  again  facing  the  young  engineer. 

"Understand?"  he  demanded,  hunching  up  hia 
shoulders  and  staring  viciously  at  Ralph.  "1  ir. 
Billy  Bouncer." 

"Are  you?"  said  Ralph  simply. 

"I  am,  and  don't  you  forget  it.  I  happen  to 
have  got  a  tip  from  my  uncle,  John  Evans,  of 
Stanley  Junction.    I  guess  you  know  him." 

"I  do,"  announced  Ralph  bluntly,  "and  if  you 
are  as  mean  a  specimen  of  a  boy  as  he  is  of  a  man, 
I'm  sorry  for  you." 

"What  ?'  roared  the  young  ruffian,  raising  his 
fists.  "Do  you  see  that?"  and  he  put  one  out, 
doubled  up. 

"I  do,  and  it's  mighty  dirty,  I  can  tell  you." 

"Insult  me,  do  you?  I  guess  you  don't  know 
who  I  am.  Champion,  see? — light-weight  cham- 
pion of  this  burg,  and  I  wear  four  medals,  and 
b.^re  they  are,"  and  Bouncer  threw  back  his  coat 


FOUR  MEDALS  5^ 

and  vauntingly  displayed  four  gleaming  silver 
discs  pinned  to  his  vest. 

"If  you  had  four  more,  big  as  cartwheels,  I 
don't  see  how  I  would  be  interested,"  observed 
Ralph. 

"You  don't?"  yelled  Bouncer,  hopping  mad  at 
failing  to  dazzle  this  new  opponent  with  an  acqui- 
sition that  had  awed  his  juvenile  cohorts  and 
admirers.  "Why,  I'll  grind  you  to  powder! 
Strip." 

With  this  Bouncer  threw  off  his  coat,  and  there 
was  a  scuffle  among  his  minions  to  secure  the 
honor  of  holding  it 

"I  don't  intend  to  strip,"  remarked  Ralph,  "and 
I  don't  want  to  strike  you,  but  you've  got  to  open 
a  way  for  myself  and  my  friend  to  go  about  our 
business,  or  I'll  knock  you  down.' 

"You'll Fellows,    hear    him!"    shrieked 

Bouncer,  dancing  from  foot  to  foot.  "Oh,  you 
mincemeat!  up  with  your  fists!  It's  business 
now." 

The  young  engineer  saw  that  it  was  impossible 
to  evade  a  fight.  The  allusion  of  Bouncer  to  Jim 
Evans  was  enlightening  It  explained  the  animus 
oi  the  present  attack. 

If  Lemuel  Fogg  had  been  bent  on  queering  the 
special  record  run  to  Bridgeport  out  of  jealousy, 
Evans,  a  former  boon  companion  of  the  fireman 


54    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

had  it  in  for  Ralph  on  a  more  malicious  basis, 
The  young  railroader  knew  that  Evans  was  cap- 
able of  any  meanness  or  cruelty  to  pay  him  back 
for  causing  his  arrest  as  an  incendiary  during  the 
recent  railroad  strike  on  the  Great  Northern. 

There  was  no  doubt  but  what  Evans  had 
advised  his  graceless  nephew  of  the  intended  visit 
of  Ralph  to  Bridgeport.  During  the  strike  Evans 
had  maimed  railroad  men  and  had  been  guilty  of 
many  other  cruel  acts  of  vandalism.  Ralph 
doubted  not  that  the  plan  was  to  have  his  precious 
nephew  "do"  him  in  a  way  that  he  would  not  be 
able  to  make  the  return  trip  with  No.  999. 

The  young  engineer  was  no  pugilist,  but  he 
knew  how  to  defend  himself,  and  he  very  quickly 
estimated  the  real  figlrtmg  caliber  of  his  antago- 
nist, lie  saw  at  a  glance  that  Billy  Bouncer  was 
made  up  of  bluff  and  bluster  and  show.  The 
hoodlum  made  a  great  ado  of  posing  and  exer- 
cising his  fists  in  a  scientific  way.  He  was  so 
stuck  up  over  some  medal  awards  at  amateur 
boxing  shows,  that  he  was  wasting  time  in  dis- 
playing his  "style." 

"Are  you  ready?"  demanded  Bouncer,  doing  a 
quickstep  and  making  a  picturesque  feint  at  hia 
opponent. 

"Let  me  pass,"  said  Ralph. 

"Wow,  when  I've  eaten  you  up,  maybe !" 


FOUR  MEDALS  55 

ttSmce  you  will  have  it,  then,"  observed  Ralph 
Ijtsietly,  "take  that  for  a  starter." 

The  young  engineer  struck  out  once — only  oncev 
but  he  had  calculated  the  delivery  and  effect  of 
the  blow  to  a  nicety.  There  was  a  thud  as  his 
fist  landed  under  the  jaw  of  the  bully,  so  quickly 
and  so  unexpectedly  that  the  latter  did  not  have 
time  to  put  up  so  much  as  a  pretense  of  2 
protection.         , 

Back  went  Billy  Bouncer,  his  teeth  rattling,  and 
down  went  Billy  Bouncer  on  a  backward  slide. 
H/'s  head  struck  a  loose  javing  brick.  He  moaned 
and  closed  his  eyes. 

"Four — medals !"  he  voiced  faintly. 

"Come  on,  Clark/'  said  Ralph. 

He  snatched  the  arm  of  his  new  acquaintance 
and  tried  to  force  his  way  to  the  alley  opening. 
Thus  they  proceeded  a  few  feet,  but  only  a  few. 
A  hush  had  fallen  over  Bouncer's  friends,  at  the 
amazing  sight  of  their  redoubtable  champion  gone 
down  in  inglorious  defeat,  but  only  for  a  moment. 
One  of  the  largest  boys  in  the  group  rallied  the 
disorganized  mob. 

"Out  with  your  smashers!"  he  shouted.  "Don't 
let  them  get  away !' 

Ralph  pulled,  or  rather  forced  his  companion 
back  agsinst  two  steps  with  an  iron  railing,  lead* 


(50    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

fng  to  the  little  platform  of  the  alley  door  of  a 
building  fronting  on  the  street. 

"Xo  show  making  a  break,"  he  continued  in 
rapid  tones.     ''Look  at  the  cowards!' 

At  the  call  of  their  new  leader,  the  crowd  to  its 
last  member  whipped  out  their  weapons.  They 
were  made  of  some  hard  substance  like  lead,  and 
incased  in  leather.  They  were  attached  to  the 
wrist  by  a  long  loop,  which  enabled  their  possess- 
ors to  strike  a  person  at  long  range,  the  object  of 
the  attack  having  no  chance  to  resist  or  defend 
himself. 

"Grab  the  railing,"  ordered  Clark,  whom  Ralph 
was  beginning  to  recognize  as  a  quick-witted  fel- 
low in  an  emegency.  "Now  then,  keep  side  by 
side — any  tactics  to  hold  them  at  bay  or  drive 
them  off." 

The  two  friends  had  secured  quite  a  tactical 
position,  and  they  proceeded  to  make  the  most  of 
it.  The  mob  with  angry  yells  made  for  them 
direct.  They  jostled  one  another  in  their  eager 
malice  to  strike  a  blow.  They  crowded  close  to 
the  steps,  and  their  ugly  weapons  shot  out  from 
all  directions. 

One  of  the  weapons  landed  on  Ralph's  hand 
grasping  the  iron  railing,  and  quite  numbed  and 
almost  crippled  it.  A  fellow  used  his  weapon  as 
a  missile,  on  purpose  or  by  mistake.    At  all  events, 


FOUR  MEDALS  57 

it  whirled  from  his  hand  through  the  air,  and 
striking  Clark's  cheek,  laid  it  open  with  quite  a 
ghastly  wound.  Clark  reached  over  and  snatched 
a  slungshot  from  the  grasp  of  another  of  the 
assaulting  party.  He  handed  it  quickly  to  his 
companion. 

"Use  it  for  all  it's  worth,"  he  suggested  rapidly. 
"Don't  let  them  down  us,  or  we're  goners." 

As  he  spoke,  Clark,  nettled  with  pain,  balanced 
himself  on  the  railing  and  sent  both  feet  flying 
into  the  faces  of  the  onpressing  mob.  These 
tactics  were  wholly  unexpected  by  the  enemy, 
One  of  their  number  went  reeling  back,  his  nose 
nearly  flattened  to  his  face. 

"Rush  'em!"  shouted  the  fellow  frantically. 

Half-a-dozen  of  his  cohorts  sprang  up  the  steps. 
They  managed  to  grab  Ralph's  feet.  Now  it  was 
a  pull  and  a  clutch.  Ralph  realized  that  if  he 
ever  got  down  into  the  midst  of  that  surging  mob, 
or  under  their  feet,  it  would  be  all  over  with  him. 

"It's  all  up  with  us !"  gasped  Clark  with  a 
startled  stare   down  the  alley.      "Fogg,   Lemuel 

The  heart  of  the  young  engineer  sank  somewhat 
as  he  followed  the  direction  of  his  companion's 
glance.  Sure  enough,  the  fireman  of  No.  999  had 
put  in  an  appearance  on  the  scene. 

"He's  coming  like  a  cyclone !"  said  Clark. 


5S    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAUD  EXPRESS 

Fogg  was  a  rushing  whirlwind  of  motion.  H< 
was  bareheaded,  and  he  looked  wild  and  uncanny. 
Somewhere  he  had  picked  up  a  long  round  clothes 
pole  or  the  handle  to  some  street  worker's  outfit. 
With  this  he  was  making  direct  for  the  crowd 
surrounding  Ralph  and  Clark.  Just  then  a  slung- 
shot  blow  drove  the  latter  to  his  knees.  Two  of  the 
crowd  tried  to  kick  at  his  face.  Ralph  was  nerved 
up  to  desperate  action  now.  He  caught  the 
uplifted  foot  of  one  of  the  vandals  and  sent  him 
toppling.  The  other  he  knocked  flat  with  his  fist, 
but  overpowering  numbers  massed  for  a  headlong 
rush  on  the  beleaguered  refugees. 

"Swish — thud!  swish!"  Half  blinded  by  a 
blow  dealt  between  the  eyes  by  a  hurling  slung- 
shot,  the  young  engineer  could  discern  a  break  in 
the  program,  the  appearance  of  a  new  element  that 
startled  and  astonished  him.  lie  had  expected  to 
see  the  furious  Fogg  join  the  mob  and  aid  them 
in  finishing  up  their  dastardly  work.  Instead,  like 
some  madman,  Fogg  had  waded  into  the  ranks  of 
the  group,  swinging  his  formidable  weapon  like  3 
flail.  It  rose,  it  fell,  it  swayed  from  side  to  side, 
and  its  execution  was  terrific. 

The  fireman  mowed  (low::  the  amazed  and  scat- 
tering forces  of  Billy  Bouncer  as  if  they  were 
rows  of  tenpins.  He  knocked  them  flat,  and  then 
he  kicked  them.     It  was  a  marvel  that  he  did  not 


FOUR  MEDALS  59 

cripple  some  of  them,  for,  his  eyes  glaring,  his 
muscles  bulging  to  the  work,  he  acted  like  some 
fairly  irresponsible  being. 

Within  two  minutes'  time  the  last  one  of  the 
mob  had  vanished  into  the  street.  Flinging  the 
pole  away  from  him,  Fogg  began  looking  for 
his  cap,  which  had  blown  off  his  head  as  he  came 
rushing  down  the  alley  at  cyclone  speed. 

Clark  stared  at  the  fireman  in  petrified  wonder. 
Ralph  stood  overwhelmed  with  uncertainty  and 
amazement. 

"Mr.  Fogg,  I  say,  Mr.  Fogg!"  he  cried,  running 
after  the  fireman  and  catching  at  his  sleeve,  "How 
_why " 

"Boy,"  choked  out  Lemuel  Fogg,  turning  a 
pale,  twitching  face  upon  Ralph,  "don't  say  a 
tvord  to  me !" 

And  then  with  a  queer,  clicking  sob  in  his 
Ihroat,  the  fireman  of  No.  999  hastened  down  the 
alley  looking  for  his  cap. 


CHAPTER  VII 

DAVE    EISSELL,    TRAIN    BOY 

"I  DON'T  understand  it  at  all,"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

"Mad — decidedly  mad,"  declared  young  Clark. 
"Whew!  that  was  a  lively  tussle.  All  the  but^ 
tons  are  gone  off  my  vest  and  one  sleeve  is  torn 
open  clear  to  the  shoulder,  and  I  guess  there  wera 
only  hasting  threads  in  that  coat  of  yours,  for 
it's  ripped  clear  up  the  back." 

Clark  began  to  pick  up  some  scattered  buttons 
from  the  ground.  His  companion,  however,  was 
looking  down  the  alley,  and  he  followed  Fogg 
with  his  eyes  until  the  fireman  had  disappeared 
into  the  street. 

"You're  wondering  about  things,"  spoke  Clark. 
"So  am  I." 

"I'm  trying  to  figure  out  the  puzzle,  yes,'* 
admitted  the  young  engineer.  "You  see,  we  were 
both  of  us  wrong,  and  we  have  misjudged  Mr. 
Fogg." 

"I  don't  know  about  that,'  dissented  Ralph's 
companion. 

"Why,  he  has  helped  us,  instead  of  hurt  us." 
60 


DAVE  BISSKLL,  TRAIX  BOY  01 


*'iT.; 


Yes,"  said  Clark,  "but  why?  It's  nonsense. 
to  say  that  he  didn't  start  out  on  your  trip  fixed 
up  to  put  you  out  of  business  if  he  could  do  it. 
It  is  folly,  too,  to  think  that  he  didn't  know  that 
this  Billy  Bouncer,  relative  of  that  old-time  enemy 
of  yours  back  at  Stanley  Junction,  Jim  Evans,  had 
put  this  gang  up  to  beat  you.  If  that  wasn't  so, 
why  has  he  been  hanging  around  here  all  the 
morning  in  a  suspicious,  mysterious  way,  and  how 
does  he  come  to  swoop  down  on  the  mob  just  in 
the  nick  of  time." 

"Perhaps  he  was  planning  to  head  oft  the  crowct 
all  the  time,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"Not  from  the  very  start,"  declared  Clark  posi- 
tively. No,  sir — I  think  he  has  had  a  fit  of 
remorse,  and  thought  better  of  having  you  banged 
up  or  crippled." 

"At  all  events,  Fogg  has  proven  a  good  friend 
in  need,  and  I  shall  not  forget  it  soon,"  observed 
Ralph. 

When  they  came  out  into  the  street  the  hood* 
lum  crowd  had  dispersed.  They  entered  the  first 
tailor  shop  they  came  to  and  soon  had  their 
clothing  mended  up. 

"There's  a  moving  picture  show  open,"  said 
Clark,  after  they  had  again  proceeded  on  their 
way.  "Let's  put  in  a  half-hour  or  so  watching 
the  slides." 


62    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

This  they  did.  Then  they  strolled  clown  to  the 
shops,  took  in  the  roundhouse,  got  an  early  dinner, 
and  went  to  visit  the  museum  at  the  Mechanic?)' 
Exchange.  This  was  quite  an  institution  of 
Bridgeport,  and  generally  interested  railroad  men. 
Clark  was  very  agreeable  to  the  proposition  made 
by  his  companion  to  look  over  the  place.  They 
found  a  fine  library  and  a  variety  of  drawings 
and  models,  all  along  railroad  lines. 

"This  suits  me  exactly,"  declared  Clark.  "I 
am  not  and  never  will  be  a  practical  railroader, 
but  I  like  its  variety  just  the  same.  Another  thing, 
a  fellow  learns  something.     Say,  look  there." 

The  speaker  halted  his  companion  by  catching 
his  arm  abruptly,  as  they  turned  into  a  small 
reading  room  after  admiring  a  miniature  repro- 
duction in  brass  of  a  standard  European 
locomotive. 

"Yes,  I  see,"  nodded  Ralph,  with  a  slight  smile 
on  his  face,  "our  friend,  Wheels." 

Both  boys  studied  the  eccentric  youth  they  had 
seen  for  the  first  time  a  few  hours  previous.  He 
occupied  a  scat  at  a  desk  in  a  remote  corner  of 
the  room.  Propped  up  before  him  was  a  big  vol- 
ume full  cf  cuts  of  machinery,  and  he  was  taking 
notes  from  it.  A  dozen  or  more  smaller  books 
were  piled  up  on  a  chair  beside  him. 

Young  as  he  was,  there  was  a  profound  solem* 


DAVE  BIS  SELL,  TRAIN  BOY  03 

nity  and  preoccupation  in  his  methods  that  sug- 
gested that  he  had  a  very  old  head  on  a  juvenile 
pair  of  shoulders.  As  Ralph  and  his  companion 
stood  regarding  the  queer  genius,  an  attendant 
came  up  to  Wheels.  He  touched  him  politely  on 
the  shoulder,  and  as  the  lad  looked  up  in  a  dazed, 
absorbed  way,  pointed  to  the  clock  in  the  room. 

"You  told  me  to  inform  you  when  it  was  two 
o'clock/'  spoke  the  attendant. 

"Did  I,  now?"  said  Wheels  in  a  lost,  distressed 
sort  of  a  way.  "Dear  me,  what  for,  I  wonder?" 
and  he  passed  his  hand  abstractedly  over  his  fore- 
head.    "Ah,  I'll  find  out." 

He  proceeded  to  draw  from  his  pocket  the  self- 
same memorandum  he  had  consulted  in  the  case  of 
Jim  Scroggins.  He  mumbled  over  a  number  of 
items,  and  evidently  struck  the  right  one  at  last, 
for  he  murmured  something  about  "catch  the 
noon  mail  with  a  letter  to  the  patent  office,"  arose, 
put  on  his  cap,  and  hurriedly  left  the  place,  bliss- 
fully wool-gathering  as  the  fact  that  noon  had 
come  and  gone  several  hours  since. 

"I'm  curious,"  observed  Clark,  and  as  WTieels 
left  the  place  he  followed  the  attendant  to  the 
library  office,  and  left  Ralph  to  stroll  about  alone, 
while  he  engaged  the  former  in  conversation.  In 
about  five  minutes  Clark  came  back  to  Ralph  with 
a  curious  but  satisfied  smile  on  his  face. 


64    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Well.  I've  got  his  biography,"  he  announced. 

"Whose— Wheels?" 

"Yes." 

"Who  is  lie,  anyway?"   inquired  Ralph. 

"He  thinks  he  is  a  young  inventor." 

"And  is  he?" 

"That's  an  open  question.  They  call  him 
Young  Edison  around  here,  and  his  right  name 
is  Archie  Graham.  His  father  was  an  aeronaut 
who  was  an  expert  on  airships,  got  killed  in  an 
accident  to  an  aeroplane  last  year,  and  left  his 
son  some  little  money.  Young  Graham  has  been 
dabbling  in  inventions  since  he  was  quite  young." 

"Did  he  really  ever  invent  anything  of  conse- 
quence?' asked  Ralph. 

"The  attendant  here  says  that  he  did.  About 
tvvo  years  ago  he  got  up  a  car  window  catch  that 
made  quite  a  flurry  at  the  shops.  It  was  used  with 
good  results,  and  the  Great  Northern  was  about 
to  pay  Graham  something  for  the  device,  when  it 
was  learned  that  while  he  was  bringing  it  to  per- 
fection some  one  else  had  run  across  pretty  nearly 
the  same  idea." 

"And  patented  it  first?" 

"Both  abroad  and  in  this  country.  That  of 
course  shut  Graham  out.  All  the  same,  the  atten- 
dant declares  that  Graham  must  have  got  the  idea 
fullv  a  vear  before  the  foreign  fellow  did." 


DAVE  BISSELL,  TRAIN  BOY  65 

The  boys  left  the  place  in  a  little  while  and  pro- 
ceeded towards  the  railroad  depot.  Ralph  had 
conceived  quite  a  liking  for  his  volatile  new 
acquaintance.  Clark  had  shown  himself  to  be  a 
loyal,  resourceful  friend,  and  the  young  engineer 
felt  that  he  would  miss  his  genial  company  if  the 
other  did  not  take  the  return  trip  to  Stanley  Junc- 
tion. He  told  Clark  this  as  they  reached  the 
depot. 

"That  so?"  smiled  the  latter.  "Well,  I'll  go 
sure  if  you're  agreeable.  I've  got  no  particular 
program  to  follow  out,  and  I'd  like  to  take  in  the 
Junction.  Another  thing,  I'm  curious  to  see  how 
you  come  out  with  your  friends.  There's  that 
smash-up  on  the  siding  at  Plympton,  too.  Some- 
thing may  come  up  on  that  where  I  may  be  of 
service  to  you." 

They  found  the  locomotive,  steam  up.  on  one  of 
the  depot  switches  in  charge  of  a  special  engineer. 
It  lacked  over  half  an  hour  of  leaving  time. 
While  Clark  hustled  about  the  tender.  Ralph 
donned  his  working  clothes  and  chattered  with  the 
relief  engineer.  The  latter  was  to  run  the  loco- 
motive to  the  train,  and  Ralph  walked  down  the 
platform  to  put  on  the  time. 

"I've  stowed  my  vest  in  a  bunker  in  the  cab," 
said  Clark,  by  his  side. 

"That's  all  right,"  nodded  Ralph. 


66    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"And  I'm  going  to  get  some  sandwiches  and  a 
few  bottles  of  pop  for  a  little  midnight  lunch." 

"All  right,"  agreed  the  young  engineer,  as  his 
companion  started  over  towards  Railroad  Row. 

Lemuel  Fogg  had  not  put  in  an  appearance  up 
to  this  time,  but  a  few  minutes  later  Ralph  saw 
him  in  the  cab  of  No.  999,  which  he  had  gained 
by  a  short  cut  from  the  street.  As  Ralph  was 
looking  in  the  direction  of  the  locomotive,  some 
one  came  briskly  up  behind  him  and  gave  him  a 
sharp,  friendly  slap  on  the  shoulder. 

"Hello,  Ralph  Fairbanks!"  he  hailed. 

"Why,  Dave  Bissell!"  said  the  young  rail- 
roader, turning  to  face  and  shake  hands  with  an 
Old  acquaintance.  Dave  had  been  a  train  boy  on 
an  accommodation  run  at  Stanley  Junction  about 
a  year  previous,  and  had  graduated  into  the  same 
line  of  service  on  the  Overland  Limited. 

"I'm  very  glad  to  see  you,"  said  Ralph ;  "I  hear 
you've  got  a  great  run." 

"Famous,  Fairbanks!"  declared  Dave.  "I'm 
hearing  some  big  things  about  you." 

"You  call  them  big  because  you  remember  the 
Junction  and  exaggerate  home  news,"  insisted 
Ralph. 

"Maybe  so,  but  I  always  said  you'd  be  president 
of  the  road  some  time,'  began  Dave,  and  then  with 
a  start  stared  hard  at  young  Clark,  who  appeared 


DAVE  BIS  SELL,  TRAIX  BOY  G? 

at  that  moment  crossing  the  platform  of  a  sta- 
tionary coach  from  the  direction  of  Railroad 
Row.  "Why!"  exclaimed  Dave,  "hey!  hi!  this 
way." 

Clark  had  halted  abruptly.  His  expressive  fea- 
tures were  a  study.  As  he  evidently  recognized 
Dave,  his  face  fell,  his  eyes  betokened  a  certain 
consternation,  and  dropping  a  package  he  carried 
he  turned  swiftly  about,  jumped  from  the  plat- 
form and  disappeared. 

"Why,"  spoke  Ralph,  considerably  surprised, 
"do  you  know  Marvin  Clark?" 

"Who  ?"  bolted  out  Dave  bluntly. 

"That  boy— Marvin  Clark." 

"Marvin  Clark  nothing!"  shouted  the  train  boy 
volubly.  "That's  my  cousin,  Fred  Porter,  of 
Harlville." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

AN  ASTONISHING  DISCOVERY 

The  young  engineer  of  No.  999  faced  a  new 
mystery,  a  sharp  suspicion  darted  through  his 
mind.  He  recalled  instantly  several  queer  breaks 
that  the  special  passenger  had  made  in  his 
conversation. 

"Your  cousin,  is  he?"  observed  Ralph 
thoughtfully. 

"That's  what  he  is,"  affirmed  Dave  Bissell. 

"And  his  name  is  Fred  Porter?" 

"Always  has  been,"  declared  Dave.  "Why, 
something  up?  Humph!  I  can  guess.  Bet  he's 
been  up  to  some  of  his  old  tricks.  He  always  was 
a  joker  and  full  of  mischief." 

"Tell  me  more  about  him,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"Why,  there  isn't  much  to  tell,"  said  Dave. 
"He  and  I  were  raised  at  Earlville.  His  parents 
both  died  several  years  ago,  and  he  wandered 
around  a  good  deal.  This  is  the  first  I've  seen  of 
him  for  over  two  years." 

63 


AN  ASTONISHING  DISCOVERY  G9 

"Might  you  not  be  mistaken  —  facial 
resemblance?" 

"Not  much,"  observed  Dave  staunchly.  "Think 
I  don't  recognize  my  own  relatives  ?  Why,  didn't 
you  notice  how  he  acted?" 

"Yes,  surprised." 

"No,  scared,"  corrected  Dave,  "and  ran  away." 

"Why?"  demanded  Ralph. 

"Well,  from  your  seeming  to  know  him  undei 
another  name,  I  should  say  because  he  is  found 
out.  What  game  has  he  been  playing  on  you, 
Fairbanks?" 

"He  has  done  me  more  good  than  harm," 
evaded  Ralph.  "I've  only  known  him  since 
yesterday." 

"Well,  he  has  run  away,  that's  certain.  That 
Mothers  me.  Fred  Porter  was  never  a  sneak  or  a 
toward.  He  was  full  of  jolly  mischief  and  fun, 
"but  a  better  friend  no  fellow  ever  had." 

"He  struck  me  that  way,"  said  Ralph.  "I  hope 
he'll  come  back.  There's  my  engine  coming,  and 
I'll  have  to  go  on  duty.  Try  and  find  him,  Dave, 
will  you?" 

"If  I  can." 

"And  if  you  find  him,  tell  him  I  must  see  him 
before  we  leave  Bridgeport." 

"All  right." 

Ralph  picked  up  the  lunch  package  that  his  odd 


70    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

acquaintance  had  dropped  and  moved  along  the 
platform  to  where  No.  999  had  run.  The  locomo- 
tive was  backed  to  the  coaches  and  the  relief  engi- 
neer stepped  to  the  platform. 

"I  say,"  he  projected  in  an  undertone  to  Ralph, 
"what's  up  with  Fogg?" 

"Is  there  anything?"  questioned  Ralph 
evasively. 

"Dizzy  in  the  headlight  and  wobbly  in  the  driv- 
ers, that's  all,"  came  the  response,  with  a  wink. 

Ralph's  heart  sank  as  he  entered  the  cab.  Its 
atmosphere  was  freighted  with  the  fumes  of 
liquor,  and  a  single  glance  at  the  fireman  con- 
vinced him  that  Fogg  was  very  far  over  the  line 
of  sobriety.  Ralph  hardly  knew  how  to  take 
Fogg.  The  latter  nodded  briefly  and  turned  away, 
pretending  to  occupy  himself  looking  from  the 
cab  window.  Ralph  could  not  resist  the  impulse 
to  try  and  break  down  the  wall  of  reserve  between 
them.  He  stepped  over  to  the  fireman's  side  and 
placed  a  gentle  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"See  here,  Fogg,"  he  said  in  a  friendly  tone, 
"I've  got  to  say  something  or  do  something  to 
square  accounts  for  your  help  in  routing  that 
crowd  this  morning." 

"Don't  you  speak  of  it!"  shot  out  the  fireman 
fiercely.  "It's  over  and  done,  isn't  it?  Let  it 
drop." 


AN  ASTONISHING  DISCOVERY  71 

"All  right,"  laughed  Ralph  genially.  "Say,  I 
saw  a  dispatch  in  the  Bridgeport  paper  to  day 
from  Stanley  Junction  that  ought  to  make  you  feel 
pretty  good.'' 

"Did?"  snapped  Fogg,  determinedly  antago- 
nistic and  stubbornly  keeping  his  face  turned 
away. 

"Yes.  It  gave  the  list  of  names  of  those  in  our 
district  who  passed  an  examination  as  school 
teachers." 

Ralph  observed  that  a  tremor  ran  through  the 
fireman's  frame  at  this  intelligence. 

"Who — who  was  in  it?'  he  questioned,  his 
voice  hoarse  and  tense. 

"Two  from  the  Junction." 

"Two?" 

"Yes,  and  the  one  who  led  with  the  highest 
average  was  your  daughter,  Nellie." 

"I — I  don't  deserve  it!"  fairly  sobbed  the  fire- 
man, getting  up  suddenly  and  striving  to  hide  his 
emotion.  "Boy !"  and  he  trembled  all  over  as  he 
now  faced  Ralph,  "I'm  steamed  up  again,  as  you 
can  plainly  see.  I  won't  deny  it,  but  I  had  to,  I 
couldn't  fire  a  mile  unless  I  steamed  up,  but  I'll 
say  one  thing  with  truth — I've  got  no  bottle  in 
the  cab." 

"That's  good,  Mr.  Fogg,"  said  Ralph. 

"And  never  will  have  again,  and  you've  seen 


72    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

the  last  signs  of  the  dirty  stuff  on  me.  I'm  going 
home  to  make  a  new  start." 

"Heaven  bless  you  in  your  new  resolution,  Mr. 
Fogg!"  cried  Ralph,  his  own  tones  none  too 
stead}-. 

"I'll — I'll  have  something  to  say  to  you  after 
we  get  home,"  continued  Fogg.  "Just  leave  me 
alone  till  then." 

Something  was  working  on  the  mind  of  the 
fireman,  this  was  very  plain — something  for  good, 
Ralph  fervently  hoped.  The  young  engineer  took 
his  cue  promptly.  During  all  the  trip  to  Stanley 
Junction  he  avoided  all  conversation  except  com- 
monplace routine  remarks.  Up  to  the  time  of 
leaving  Bridgeport  Ralph  had  waited  expectantly 
for  some  sign  of  the  youth  he  had  known  as  Mar- 
vin Clark.  Clark  or  Porter,  his  new  acquaintance 
did  not  put  in  an  apeparance,  nor  did  Dave  BisselL 
return. 

"Dave  did  not  succeed  in  finding  him,"  decided 
Ralph,  as  No.  999  started  up.  "I'm  sorry."  Dave 
had  been  pretty  positive  as  to  the  identity  of  his 
cousin,  and  the  elusive  actions  of  his  relative 
seemed  to  verify  his  recognition. 

"Traveling  under  false  colors,  I  fear,"  reflected 
the  young  engineer.  "A  pretty  bold  and  difficult 
imposture,  I  should  think.  Are  his  credentials 
false  or  stolen?     But  how  to  explain  his  motive? 


AN  ASTONISHING  DISCOVERY  73 

He  doesn't  like  railroading,  and  the  system  and 
the  vouchers  he  is  at  so  much  trouble  to  get  and 
preserve  make  this  business  decidedly  mysterious. 
If  it  wasn't  for  those  features,  I  would  feel  it 
my  duty  to  report  the  affair  and  notify  the  real 
Marvin  Clark,  if  there  is  one." 

Ralph  had  both  mind  and  hands  full  during  the 
trip.  As  to  Fogg,  he  went  straight  about  his 
duties,  grimly  silent  and  mechanically.  As  the 
fire  and  vim  of  stimulation  died  down,  Ralph 
could  see  that  it  was  with  the  most  exhaustive 
effort  that  his  fireman  kept  up  his  nerve  and 
strength.  Fogg  was  weak  and  panting  the  last 
shovel  full  of  coal  he  threw  into  the  furnace,  as 
mey  sighted  Stanley  Junction.  He  was  as  limp 
as  a  rag,  and  looked  wretched  as  the  train  rolled 
into  the  depot. 

They  ran  the  locomotive  to  the  roundhouse. 
Ralph  went  at  once  to  the  foreman's  office,  while 
Fogg  attended  to  the  stalling  of  No.  999.  He 
found  the  night  watchman  asleep  there  and  no 
orders  on  the  blackboard  for  Fogg  or  himself. 
This  meant  that  they  need  not  report  before  noon. 

Ralph  looked  around  for  the  fireman  when  he 
came  out  of  the  office,  but  the  latter  had  disap- 
peared, probably  headed  for  home.  Ralph,  half- 
across  the  turntable,  halted  and  went  over  to 
No.  999. 


74    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

''The  vest  of  that  mysterious  new  acquaintance; 
of  mine,  Clark — Porter,"  said  Ralph — "he  said 
he  left  it  in  the  locomotive." 

Ralph  did  not  find  the  article  in  question  in  his 
own  bunker.  He  threw  back  the  cover  of  Fogg's 
box,  to  discover  the  vest  neatly  folded  up  at  the 
botttom  of  that  receptacle.  With  some  curiosity 
he  looked  over  its  pockets. 

"Whew!'  whistled  Ralph,  as  he  removed  and 
opened  the  only  article  it  contained — a  check  book. 
The  checks  were  upon  a  bank  at  Newton.  About 
half  of  what  the  book  had  originally  contained 
had  been  removed.  Examining  the  stubs,  Ralph 
calculated  that  over  $1,000  had  been  deposited  at 
the  bank  in  the  name  of  Marvin  Clark,  and  that 
fully  half  that  amount  had  been  checked  out 

"This  is  pretty  serious,"  commented  the  young 
engineer.  "It  looks  as  if  the  impostor  has  not 
only  stolen  Clark's  name,  but  his  passes  and  his 
check  book  as  well.  I  don't  like  the  looks  of 
this.     There's  something  here  I  can't  figure  out." 

Ralph  placed  the  check  book  in  his  own  pocket 
and  returned  the  vest  to  the  box.  As  he  did  this, 
he  disturbed  a  piece  of  cloth  used  by  Fogg  to  wipe 
grease  from  the  cab  valves.  Something  unfamil- 
iar to  the  touch  was  outlined  wrapped  up  in  the 
rag,  and  Ralph  explored. 

Two  objects  came  into  view  as  he  opened  the 


AN  ASTOXISIIIXG  DISCOVERY  h* 

piece  of  cloth.  With  a  great  gasp  the  young  engi- 
neer stared  at  these.  Then  he  rolled  up  the  rag 
and  placed  it  and  its  contents  in  his  pocket. 

His  face  grew  grave,  and  Ralph  uttered  a  deep 
sigh,  startled  and  sorrowful. 

The  young  engineer  of  No.  999  had  made  a 
discovery  so  strange,  so  unexpected,  that  it  fairly 
took  his  breath  away. 

The  mystery  of  the  collision  on  the  sidinp  at 
Plympton  was  disclosed. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   LIGHT   OF   HOME 

Ralph  walked  home  in  the  quiet  night  in  a 
serious  and  thoughtful  mood.  His  usually  bright 
face  was  clouded  and  his  head  bent,  as  though 
his  mind  was  greatly  upset.  As  the  light  of  home 
came  into  view,  however,  with  a  effort  he  casl 
aside  all  railroad  and  personal  cares. 

"Always  the  same  dear,  faithful  motner,"  he 
murmured  gratefully,  as  he  approached  the  cheer- 
ful looking  cottage  all  alight  down  stairs,  and  hur- 
ried his  steps  to  greet  her  waiting  for  him  on  the 
porch. 

"Ralph,"  she  spoke  anxiously,  "you  are  not 
hurt?" 

"Hurt!"  cried  Ralph,  "not  a  bit  of  it.  Why," 
as  he  noticed  his  mother  trembling  all  over,  "what 
put  that  into  your  head?*' 

"The  fear  that  what  Zeph  heard  downtown  at 
the  roundhouse  might  be  true,"  replied  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks.    "There  was  a  rumor  that  there  had  been 

7(3 


THE  LIGHT  OF  HOME  77 

a  collision.  Besides,  I  knew  that  some  of  your 
enemies  were  watching  your  movements." 

"You  must  stop  worrying  over  these  foolish 
notions,'  said  Ralph  reassuringly.  "We  made  a 
successful  run,  and  as  to  the  enemies,  they  gener- 
allv  get  the  worst  of  it.  Men  in  the  wrong  always 
do'"1 

Ralph  was  glad  to  get  hack  to  his  comfortable 
home.  As  he  passed  through  the  hallway  he 
noticed  Zeph  Dallas,  asleep  on  the  couch.  Ralph 
did  not  hail  or  disturb  him.  Young  Dallas  hacf 
been  at  work  for  the  friends  of  Ralph  who  ope- 
rated the  Short  Line  Railroad  up  near  Wilmer, 
but  about  two  weeks  previous  to  the  present  time 
had  got  tired  of  the  dull  route  through  the  woods 
and  had  come  to  Stanley  Junction.  The  young 
engineer  had  gotten  him  a  job  "subbing"  as  a 
helper  on  a  yards  switch  engine.  Zeph  had  been 
made  welcome  at  the  Fairbanks  home,  as  were  all 
friends  of  Ralph,  by  his  devoted  mother. 

"You  are  the  best  mother  and  the  best  cook  in 
the  world,"  declared  Ralph,  as  he  sat  down  at  the 
table  in  the  cozy  little  dining  room,  before  a  warm 
meal  quickly  brought  from  the  kitchen.  "Reall}, 
mother,  you  are  simply  spoiling  me,  and  as  to 
your  sitting  up  for  me  this  way  and  missing  your 
sleep,  it  is  a  positive  imposition  on  you." 


28    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

His  mother  only  smiled  sweetly  and  proudly 
upon  him.     Then  she  asked : 

"Was  it  a  hard  trip,  Ralph?" 

"In  a  way,"  responded  Ralph.  "But  what  made 
it  harder  was  some  unpleasant  developments 
entirely  outside  of  railroad  routine.' 

"That  so?  It  never  rains  but  it  pours!"  pro- 
claimed an  intruder  abruptly,  and,  awakened  from 
his  sleep  by  the  sound  of  voices,  Zeph  Dallas  came 
into  the  dining  room  yawning  and  stretching 
himself. 

"Why!"  exclaimed  Ralph,  giving  the  intruder 
a  quick  stare,  "what  have  you  ever  been  doing  to 
yourself?" 

"Me?"  grinned  Zeph — "you  mean  that  black 
eye  and  that  battered  cheek?" 

"Yes — accident?" 

"No  —  incident,"  corrected  Zeph,  with  a 
chuckle.    "A  lively  one,  too,  I  can  tell  you." 

"Fell  oft  the  engine?" 

"No,  fell  against  a  couple  of  good  hard  human 
fists.  We  had  been  sorting  stray  freights  all  the 
afternoon  on  old  dinky  97,  and  had  sided  to  let  a 
passenger  go  by,  when  I  noticed  a  man  with  a 
bag  and  a  stick  picking  up  coal  along  the  tracks. 
Just  then,  a  poor,  ragged  little  fellow  with  a  bas- 
ket came  around  the  end  of  the  freight  doing  the 
same.     The  man  thought  he  had  a  monopoly  in 


THE  LIGHT  OF  HOME  fg 

his  line,  because  he  was  big.  He  jumped  on  the 
little  fellow,  kicked  him,  hit  him  with  his  stick, 
and — I  was  in  the  mix-up  in  just  two  seconds." 

"You  should  keep  out  of  trouble,  Zeph," 
advised  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  gently. 

"How  could  I,  ma'am,  when  that  little  midget 
was  getting  the  worst  of  it?''  demurred  Zeph. 
"Well,  I  pitched  into  the  big,  overgrown  bully, 
tooth  and  nail.  I'm  a  sight,  maybe.  You  ought 
to  see  him!  He  cut  for  it  after  a  good  sound 
drubbing,  leaving  his  bag  of  coal  behind  him.  I 
gave  the  little  fellow  all  the  loose  change  I  had, 
filled  his  basket  from  the  bag,  and  sent  him  home 
happy.  When  I  got  back  to  the  engine,  Griggs, 
the  assistant  master  mechanic,  was  in  the  cab.  He 
said  a  few  sharp  words  about  discipline  and  the 
rules  of  the  road,  and  told  me  to  get  off  the 
engine." 

"Discharged,  eh?" 

"And  to  stay  *off.  I'm  slated,  sure.  Don't 
worry  about  it,  Fairbanks ;  I'd  got  sick  to  death  of 
the  job,  anyway." 

"But  what  are  you  going  to  do?"  inquired 
Ralph  gravely. 

"Get  another  cne,  of  course.  I'm  going  to  try 
to  get  Bob  Adair,  the  road  detective,  to  give  me 
a  show.  That's  the  line  of  work  I  like.  If  he 
won't,  I'll  try  some  other  town.     I'm  sorry,  Fair- 


SO    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

banks,  for  my  wages  will  only  settle  what  board  1 
owe  you,  and  there's  that  last  suit  of  clothes  you 
got  for  me,  not  paid  for  yet " 

"Don't  trouble  yourself  about  that,  Zcph," 
interrupted  Ralph  kindly.  "You're  honest,  and 
you'll  pay  when  you  can.  You  may  keep  what 
money  you  have  for  a  new  start  until  you  get  to 
work  again." 

Zeph  looked  grateful.  Then  Ralph  gave  some 
details  of  the  record  run  to  Bridgeport,  there  was 
some  general  conversation,  and  he  went  to  bed. 

Ralph  had  asked  his  mother  to  call  him  at  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  but  an  hour  before  that 
time  there  was  a  tap  at  the  door  of  the  bedroom. 

"Ralph,  dear,"  spoke  up  his  mother,  "I  dislike 
to  disturb  you,  but  a  messenger  boy  has  just 
brought  a  telegram,  and  I  thought  that  maybe  it 
was  something  of  importance  and  might  need 
immediate  attention." 

"That's  right,  mother.  I  will  be  down  stairs 
in  a  minute,"  answered  the  young  railroader,  and 
he  dressed  rapidly  and  hurried  down  to  the  sitting 
room,  where  his  mother  stood  holding  out  to  him 
a  sealed  yellow  envelope.  Ralph  tore  it  open. 
He  looked  for  a  signature,  but  there  was  none. 
It  was  a  night  message  dated  at  Bridgeport,  the 
evening  previous,  and  it  ran : 


THE  LIGHT  OF  HOME  81 

''Clark — Porter — whatever  yen  know  don't 
speak  of  it,  or  great  trouble  may  result.  Will  see 
you  within  two  clays." 

"I  wonder  what  the  next  development  will  be  ?" 
murmured  Ralph.  "  'Great  trouble  may  result.' 
I  don't  understand  it  at  all.  'Will  see  you  in  two 
days' — then  there  is  some  explanation  coming. 
Clark,  or  whatever  his  real  name  is,  must  suspect 
or  know  that  his  cousin,  Dave  Bissell,  has  told  me 
something.  Well,  I  certainly  won't  make  any 
move  about  this  strange  affair  until  Clark  hasj 
had  an  opportunity  to  straighten  things  out.  11 
the  meantime,  I've  got  a  good  deal  of  personal 
business  on  my  hands." 

Ralph  was  a  good  deal  in  doubt  and  anxious  a$ 
to  his  railroad  career,  immediate  and  prospective 
As  has  been  told,  his  trip  to  Bridgeport  had  bee? 
a  record  run.  The  fact  that  the  China  &  Japan 
Mail  could  be  delivered  on  time,  indicated  a  possi- 
bility that  the  Great  Northern  might  make  a  fea* 
ture  of  new  train  service.  It  would  not,  however, 
be  done  in  a  day.  No.  999  might  be  put  on  the 
Dover  branch  of  the  Great  Northern,  or  accomo- 
dation service  to  other  points,  and  the  Overland 
Express  connection  canceled. 

There  had  been  all  kinds  of  speculation  and 
gossip  at  the  dog  house  as  to  the  new  system 


82    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

of  business  expansion  adopted  by  the  Great 
Northern.  That  road  had  acquired  new  branches 
during'  the  past  year,  and  was  becoming  a  big 
system  of  itself.  There  was  talk  about  a  consolida- 
tion with  another  line,  which  might  enable  the 
road  to  arrange  for  traffic  clear  to  the  Pacific. 
New  splendid  train  service  was  talked  of  every- 
where,  among  the  workmen,  and  every  ambitious 
railroader  was  looking  for  a  handsome  and  sub- 
stantial promotion. 

Ralph  could  not  tell  until  he  reported  at  the 
roundhouse  after  twelve  o'clock  when  and  how 
he  would  start  out  again.  On  the  Bridgeport  run 
he  was  not  due  until  the  next  morning.  All  he 
was  sure  of  was  that  he  and  Fogg  were  regulars 
for  No.  999  wherever  that  locomotive  was 
assigned,  until  further  orders  interfered.  De- 
spite the  successful  record  run  to  Bridgeport, 
somebody  was  listed  for  at  least  a  "call-down"  on 
account  of  the  accident  on  the  siding  at  Plymp- 
ton.  Every  time  Ralph  thought  of  that,  he  recol- 
lected his  "find"  in  Lemuel  Fogg's  bunker,  and 
his  face  became  grave  and  distressed. 

"It's  bound  to  come  out,'  he  reflected,  as  he 
strolled  into  the  neat,  attractive  garden  after 
breakfast.  "Why,  Mr.  Griscom — I'm  glad  to  see 
you." 

His  old  railroad  friend  was  passing  the  house 


THE  LIGHT  OF  HOME  53 

on  his  way  to  the  roundhouse  to  report  for  duty. 
His  brisk  step  showed  that  he  was  limited  as  to 
time,  but  he  paused  for  a  moment. 

"You  got  there,  Fairbanks,  didn't  you?"  he 
commented  heartily.  "Good.  I  knew  you  would, 
but  say,  what  about  this  mix-up  on  the  signals 
at  Plympton?" 

"Oh,  that  wasn't  much,"  declared  Ralph. 

"Enough  to  put  the  master  mechanic  on  his 
mettle,"  objected  the  veteran  engineer.  "He's 
going  to  call  all  hands  on  the  carpet.  Had  me  in 
3'esterday  afternoon.  He  showed  me  your  con- 
ductor's report  wired  from  Bridgeport.  7*  throws 
all  the  blame  on  Adams,  the  new  station  m«£  ?t 
Plympton.  The  conductor  declares  it  wae  ?\ 
his  fault — 'color  blind,'  see?.  Master  mechanic 
had  Adams  down  there  yesterday." 

"Surely  no  action  is  taken  yet?"  inquired 
Ralph  anxiously. 

"No,  but  I  fancy  Adams  will  go.  It's  a  plain 
case,  I  think.  Your  signals  were  special  and  clear 
right  of  way,  that's  sure.  Danforth  is  ready  to 
swear  to  that.  Adams  quite  as  positively  swears 
that  the  green  signals  on  the  locomotive  were  set 
on  a  call  for  the  siding.  He  broke  down  and  cried 
like  a  child  when  it  was  hinted  that  a  discharge 
from  the  service  was  likely." 


84    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

''Poor  fellow,  I  must  see  the  master  mechanic 
at  once,"  said  Ralph. 

''You'll  have  to,  for  your  explanation  goes  with 
him  and  will  settle  the  affair.  You  see,  it  seems 
that  Adams  had  broken  up  his  old  home  and  gone 
to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  moving  his  family 
to  Plympton.  Now,  to  be  let  out  would  be  a  pretty 
hard  blow  to  him.  Of  course,  though,  if  he  is 
color  blind " 

"He  is  not  color  blind!"  cried  Ralph,  with  so 
much  earnestness  that  Griscom  stared  at  him 
strangely. 

"Aha!  so  you  say  that,  do  you?''  observed 
the  old  engineer,  squinting  his  eyes  suspiciously. 
"Then— Fogg.     Tricks,  I'll  bet!"' 

"I'll  talk  to  you  later,  Mr.  Griscom,"  said 
Ralph. 

"Good,  I  want  to  know,  and  I  see  you  have 
something  to  tell." 

The  young  engineer  had,  indeed,  considerable 
to  tell  when  the  time  came  to  justify  the  dis- 
closures. He  was  worried  as  to  how  he  should 
tell  it,  and  to  whom.  Ralph  sat  down  in  the 
little  vine-embowered  summerhouse  in  the  gar- 
den, and  had  a  good  hard  spell  of  thought.  Then, 
as  his  hand  went  into  his  pocket  and  rested  on 
the  piece  of  cloth  with  its  enclosure  which  he  had 
found  in  Fogg's  bunker  on  No.  999,  he  started 


THE  LIGHT  OF  HOME  g5 

from  his  seat,  a  certain  firm,  purposeful  ex- 
pression on  his  face. 

"I've  got  to  do  it,"  he  said  to  himself,  as 
he  went  along  in  the  direction  of  the  home  of 
Lemuel  Fogg.  "Somebody  has  got  to  take  the 
responsibility  of  the  collision.  Adams,  the  new 
station  man  at  Plympton,  is  innocent  of  any 
blame.  It  would  be  a  terrible  misfortune  for 
him  to  lose  his  job.  Fogg  has  sickness  in  his 
family.  The  truth  coming  out,  might  spoil  all 
the  future  of  that  bright  daughter  of  his.  As  to 
myself — why,  if  worse  comes  to  worse,  I  can 
find  a  place  with  my  good  friends  on  the  Short 
Line  Railway  down  near  Dover.  I'm  young,  I'm 
doing  right  in  making  the  sacrifice,  and  I'm  not 
afraid  of  the  future.  Yes,  it  is  a  hard  way  for 
a  fellow  with  all  the  bright  dreams  I've  had,  but 
■ — I'm  going  to  do  it!" 

The  young  engineer  had  made  a  grand,  a 
mighty  resolve.  It  was  a  severe  struggle,  a  hard, 
bitter  sacrifice  of  self  interest,  but  Ralph  felt  that 
a  great  duty  presented,  and  he  faced  its  exactions 
manfully. 

The  home  of  Lemuel  Fogg  the  fireman  was 
about  four  blocks  distant.  As  Ralph  reached  it, 
he  found  a  great  roaring  fire  of  brush  and  rub- 
bish burning  in  the  side  yard. 

"A  good  sign,  if  that  is  a  spurt  of  home  iffc 


8G    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

dustry  with  Fogg,"  decided  the  young  railroader. 
"He's  tidying  up  the  place.  It  needs  it  bad 
enough,"  and  Ralph  glanced  critically  at  the  dis- 
ordered yard. 

Nobody  was  astir  about  the  place.  Ralph  knew 
that  Mrs.  Fogg  had  been  very  ill  of  late,  and 
that  there  was  an  infant  in  the  house.  lie  de- 
cided to  wait  until  Fogg  appeared,  when  he 
noticed  the  fireman  way  down  the  rear  alley. 
His  back  was  to  Ralph  and  he  was  carrying  a 
rake.  Fogg  turned  into  a  yard,  and  Ralph  started 
after  him  calculating  that  the  fireman  was  return- 
ing the  implement  to  a  neighbor.  Just  as  Ralph 
came  to  the  yard,  the  fireman  came  out  of  it. 

At  a  glance  the  young  engineer  noted  a  change 
in  the  face  o."  Fogg  that  both  surprised  and 
pleased  him.  The  fireman  looked  fresh,  bright  and 
happy.  He  was  humming  a  little  tune,  and  he 
swung  along  as  if  on  cheerful  business  bent,  and 
as  if  all  things  were  coming  swimmingly  with 
him. 

"How  are  you,  Mr.  Fogg?"  hailed  Ralph. 

The  fireman  changed  color,  a  half-shamed, 
half-defiant  look  came  into  his  face,  but  he  clasped 
the  extended  hand  of  the  young  railroader  and 
responded  heartily  to  its  friendly  pressure. 

"I've  got  something-  to  tell  you,  Fairbanks,"  ha 


THE  LIGHT  OF  HOME  §7 

6aid,  straightening  up  as  if  under  some  striving 
sense  of  manliness. 

''That's  all  right,"  nodded  Ralph  with  a  smile, 
"I'm  going  back  to  the  house  with  yon,  and  will 
be  glad  to  have  a  chat  with  you.  First,  though, 
I  want  to  say  something  to  you,  so  we'll  pause 
here  for  a  moment." 

I've — I've  made  a  new  start,"  stammered  Fogg. 
"I've  buried  the  past." 

"Good!"  cried  Ralph,  giving  his  companion  a 
hearty  slap  on  the  shoulder,  "that's  just  what  I 
was  going  to  say  to  you.  Bury  the  past — yes, 
deep,  fathoms  deep,  without  another  word,  never 
to  be  resurrected.  To  prove  it,  let's  first  bury  this. 
Kick  it  under  that  ash  heap  yonder,  Mr.  Fogg, 
and  forget  all  about  it.  Here's  something  that 
belongs  to  you.  Put  it  out  of  sight,  and  never 
speak  of  it  or  think  of  it  again." 

And  Ralph  handed  to  the  fireman  the  package 
done  up  in  the  oiling  cloth  that  he  had  un- 
earthed from  Fogg's  bunker  in  the  cab  of  No. 
999. 


CHAPTER  X 

Eire! 

Lemuel  Fogg  gave  a  violent  start  as  lie  re- 
ceived  the  parcel  from  Ralph's  hand.  His  face 
fell  and  the  color  deserted  it.  The  package  un« 
rolled  in  his  grasped,  and  he  let  it  drop  to  the 
ground.  Two  square  sheets  of  green  colored 
mica  rolled  out  from  the  bundle. 

"Fairbanks!"  spoke  the  fireman  hoarsely,  hij 
lips  quivering — "you  know?"' 

"I  surmise  a  great  deal,"  replied  Ralph  prompt- 
ly, "and  I  want  to  say  nothing  more  about  it.' 
'  "But—" 

"I  have  figured  it  all  out.  Adams,  the  station 
man  at  Plympton,  has  a  family.  You  are  going 
to  turn  over  a  leaf,  I  have  decided  to  take  all  the 
blame  for  the  collision  on  the  siding.  I  shall 
see  the  master  mechanic  within  an  hour  and  settle 
everything.  I  am  going  to  resign  my  position 
with  the  Great  Northern  road." 

The  fireman's  jaws   dropped   at  this   amazing 
SS 


FIRE!  89 

declaration  of  the  young  railroader.  It  seemed 
as  if  for  a  moment  he  was  fairly  petrified  at  the 
unexpected  disclosure  of  the  noble  self-sacrifice 
involved.  He  did  not  have  to  explain  what  those 
two  sheets  of  green  mica  signified — Ralph  knew 
too  well.  Inspired  by  jealousy,  Lemuel  Fogg  had 
slipped  them  over  the  white  signal  lights  of  No. 
999  as  the  locomotive  approached  Plympton,  get- 
ting the  siding  semaphore,  and  removing  them 
before  the  smash-up  had  come  about. 

"Never!"  shouted  Fogg  suddenly.  "Let  me 
tell  you,  Fairbanks — " 

Before  the  speaker  could  finish  the  sentence 
Ralph  seized  his  arm  with  the  startling  words : 

"Mr.  Fogg,  look— fire!" 

Facing  about,  Lemuel  Fogg  uttered  a  frightful 
cry  as  he  descerned  what  had  just  attracted  the 
notice  of  the  young  engineer.  The  Fog-g  house 
was  in  flames. 

When  Ralph  had  first  noticed  the  fiercely-burn- 
ing heap  of  rubbish  on  the  Fogg  premises,  he  had 
observed  that  it  was  dangerously  near  to  the 
house.  It  had  ignited  the  dry  light  timber  of  the 
dwelling,  the  whole  rear  part  of  which  was  now 
a  mass  of  smoke  and  flames. 

"My  wife — my  helpless  wife  and  the  little 
child !"  burst  from  the  lips  of  the  frantic  fireman 
in  a  shrill,  ringing  scream. 


90    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Ralph  joined  him  as  he  ran  down  the  alley  on 
a  mad  run.     The  great  sweat  stood  out  on  the 
bloodless  face  of  the  agonized  husband  and  father 
in  knobs,  his  eyes  wore  a  frenzied  expression  of 
suspense  and  alarm. 

"Save  them!  save  them!"  he  shouted,  as  Ralph 
kept  pace  with  him. 

"Don't  get  excited,  Mr.  Fogg,"  spoke  Ralph 
reassuringly.  "We  shall  be  in  time." 

"But  she  cannot  move — she  is  in  the  bedroom 
directly  over  the  kitchen.  Oh,  this  is  a  judgment 
for  all  my  wickedness !" 

"Be  a  man,"  encouraged  Ralph.  "Here  we  are 
— let  me  help  you." 

''Up  the  back  stairs!"  cried  Fogg.  "They  are 
nearest  to  her." 

"No,  no — you  can  never  get  up  them,"  de- 
clared Ralph. 

The  side  door  of  the  house  was  open,  showing 
a  pair  of  stairs,  but  they  were  all  ablaze.  Smoke 
and  sparks  poured  up  this  natural  funnel  fierce- 
ly.  Ralph  caught  at  the  arm  of  his  companion 
and  tried  to  detain  him,  but  Fogg  broke  away 
from  his  grasp. 

Ralph  saw  him  disappear  beyond  the  blazing 
barrier.  He  was  about  to  run  around  to  the  front 
of  the  house,  when  he  heard  a  hoarse  cry.  Driven 
back    by    ^he    overpowering    smoke,    Fogg    had 


FIRE!  91 

stumbled.  He  fell  headlong  down  a  half  a  dozen 
steps,  his  head  struck  the  lower  platform,  and  he 
rolled  out  upon  the  gravel  walk,  stunned. 

Ralph  quickly  dragged  the  man  out  of  the  range 
of  the  fire  and  upon  the  grass.  He  tried  to  arouse 
Fogg,  but  was  unsuccessful.  There  was  no  time 
to  lose.  Seizing  a  half -filled  bucket  standing  by 
the  well  near  by,  Ralph  deluged  the  head  of  the 
insensible  fireman  with  its  contents.  It  did  not  re- 
vive him,  Ralph  sped  to  the  front  of  the  house, 
ran  up  on  the  stoop  and  jerked  at  the  knob  of  the 
front  screen  door. 

It  was  locked,  bnt  Ralph  tore  it  open  in  an  in- 
stant. A  woman's  frantic  screams  echoed  as  the 
young  railroader  dashed  into  the  house.  He  was 
quickly  up  the  front  stairs.  At  the  top  landing 
he  paused  momentarily,  unable  to  look  about  him 
clearly  because  of  the  dense  smoke  that  permeated 
the  place. 

Those  frenzied  screams  again  ringing  out 
guided  him  down  a  narrow  hallway  to  the  rear 
upper  bedroom.  The  furniture  in  it  was  just 
commencing  to  take  fire.  On  the  floor  was  the 
fireman's  wife,  a  tiny  babe  held  in  one  arm,  while 
with  the  other  she  was  trying  unsuccessfully  to 
pull  herself  out  of  range  of  the  fire. 

"Save  me!  save  me!"  she  shrieked,  as  Ralph's 
form  was  vaguely  outlined  to  her  vision. 


92    RALPH  OX  THE  01  ERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Do  not  be  alarmed,  Airs.  Fogg,"  spoke  Ralph 
quickly — there's  no  danger.'' 

lie  ran  to  the  bed,  speedily  pulled  off  a  blanket 
lying  there,  and  wrapped  it  about  the  woman. 

"Hold  the  child  closely,"  he  directed,  and  bod- 
ily lifted  mother  and  babe  in  his  strong,  sinewy 
arms.  The  young  railroader  staggered  under  his 
great  burden  as  he  made  for  the  hallway,  but 
never  was  he  so  glad  of  his  early  athletic  training 
as  at  this  critical  moment  in  his  life. 

It  was  a  strenuous  and  perilous  task  getting 
down  the  front  stairs  with  his  load,  but  Ralph 
managed  it.  He  carried  mother  and  child  clear 
out  into  the  garden,  placed  them  carefully  on  a 
rustic  bench  there,  and  then  ran  towards  the  well. 

By  this  time  people  had  come  to  the  scene  of  the 
fire.  There  were  two  buckets  at  the  well.  A 
neighbor  and  the  young  railroader  soon  formed  a 
limited  bucket  brigade,  but  it  was  slow  work  haul- 
ing up  the  water,  and  the  flames  had  soon  gained  a 
headway  that  made  their  efforts  to  quench  them 
useless. 

Ralph  organized  the  excited  onlookers  to  some 
system  in  removing  what  could  be  saved  from  the 
burning  house.  In  the  meantime  he  had  directed  a 
boy  to  hasten  to  the  nearest  telephone  and  call  out 
the  fire  department.  Soon  the  clanging  bell  of  the 
hose  cart  echoed  in  the  near  distance.     The  rear 


FIRE!  03 

part  of  the  house  had  been  pretty  well  burned 
down  by  this  time,  and  the  front  of  the  building 
began  to  blaze. 

Ralph  got  a  light  wagon  from  the  barn  of  a 
neighbor.  A  comfortable  couch  was  made  of 
pillows  and  blankets,  and  Mrs.  Fogg  and  her 
child  were  placed  on  this.  Ralph  found  no  diffi- 
culty in  enlisting  volunteers  to  haul  the  wagon  to 
his  home,  where  his  mother  soon  had  the  poor 
lady  and  her  babe  in  a  condition  of  safety  and 
comfort.  As  Ralph  returned  to  the  dismantled 
and  still  smoking  Fogg  home  he  met  a  neighbor. 

"Oh,  Fairbanks,"  spoke  this  person,  "you're  ifl 
great  demand  up  at  the  Foggs." 

"How  is  that?" 

"Fogg  has  come  to.  They  told  him  about 
your  saving  his  wife  and  child.  He  cried  like  a 
baby  at  first.  Then  he  insisted  on  finding  you. 
He's  blessing  you  for  your  noble  heroism,  I  tell 
you." 

"I  don't  know  about  the  noble  heroism,"  re- 
turned Ralph  with  a  smile.  "Go  back,  will  you, 
and  tell  him  I'll  see  him  in  about  an  hour.  Tell 
him  to  come  down  to  our  house  at  cnc-2.  It's  all 
arranged  there  to  make  him  feci  at  home  until  he 
can  make  other  arrangements." 

"You're  a  mighty  good  fellow,  Fairbanks,"  de- 


94   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

clared  the  man  enthusiastically,  "and  everybody 
knows  it!" 

"Thank  you,"  returned  Ralph,  and  proceeded 
on  his  way.  As  he  casually  looked  at  his  watch 
the  young  railroader  quickened  his  steps  with  the 
half-murmured  words : 

"And  now  for  a  tussle  with  the  master  me- 
chanic." 


CHAPTER  XI 
the;  master  mechanic 

"Want  to  resign,  do  you?" 

"That  is  what  I  came  here  for,  sir,"  said  the 
young  engineer  of  No.  999. 

"Well,  you're  too  late,"  and  the  master  me* 
chanic  of  the  Great  Northern  seemed  to  turn  his 
back  on  Ralph,  busying  himself  with  some  papers 
on  his  desk.  He  was  a  great,  gruff  fellow  with 
the  heart  of  a  child,  but  he  showed  it  rarely.  A 
diamond  in  the  rough,  most  of  the  employees  of 
the  road  were  afraid  of  him.  Not  so  Ralph.  The 
young  railroader  had  won  the  respect  and  ad- 
miration of  the  official  by  his  loyalty  and  close 
attention  to  duty.  In  fact,  Ralph  felt  that  the 
influence  of  the  master  mechanic  had  been  con- 
siderable of  an  element  in  his  promotion  to  No. 
999.  He  stepped  nearer  to  the  desk,  managing  to 
face  the  would-be  tyro. 

"Too  late,  sir?"  he  repeated  vaguely. 

"Didn't  I  say  so?    Get  out!" 
95 


9G    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

The  master  mechanic  waved  his  hand,  and 
Ralph  was  a  trifle  surprised  at  what  seemed  a 

peremptory  dismissal.  The  moving  arm  of  the 
old  railroader  described  a  swoop,  grasped  the 
hand  of  Ralph  in  a  fervent  grip,  and  pulling  the 
young  engineer  to  "almost  an  embrace,  he  said : 

"Fairbanks,  we  had  in  our  family  a  little  boy 
who  died.  It's  a  pretty  tender  memory  with  us, 
but  every  time  I  look  at  you  I  think  of  the  dear 
little  fellow.  He'd  have  been  a  railroader,  too,  if 
he  had  lived,  and  the  fondest  wish  of  my  heart  is 
that  he  might  have  been  like  you." 

"Why "  murmured  the  astonished  Ralph. 

The  master  mechanic  cleared  his  throat  and  his 
great  hand  swept  the  moisture  from  his  eyes. 
Then  in  a  more  practical  tone  he  resumed : 

"I  said  you  was  too  late." 

"Too  late  for  what?" 

"Resigning.  You  are  too  late,"  observed  the 
official,  "because  Lemuel  Fogg  has  already  been 
here." 

"Then " 

"To  tender  his  resignation,  to  tell  the  whole 
truthful  story  of  the  collision  on  the  siding  at 
Plvmpton.  Fairbanks,"  continued  the  master  me- 
chanic very  seriously,  "you  are  a  noble  young 
fellow.  I  know  your  design  to  bear  the  whole 
brunt  of  the  smash-up,  in  order  that  you  might 


THE  MASTER  MECHANIC  Qj 

save  your  fireman  and  the  station  man  down  at 
Plympton.  As  I  said,  Fogg  was  here.  I  never 
saw  a  man  so  broken.  He  told  me  everything. 
He  told  me  of  your  patience,  of  your  kindness, 
your  manliness.  Lad,  your  treatment  of  Fogg 
under  those  circumstances  shows  the  mettle  in  you 
that  will  make  you  a  great  man,  and,  what  is 
better  still,  a  good  man." 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Ralph  in  a  subdued  tone, 
deeply  affected  despite  himself. 

"For  the  first  time  in  twenty  years'  service," 
continued  the  official,  "I  am  going  to  take  a  seri- 
ous responsibility  on  myself  which  should  be 
rightly  shouldered  by  the  company.  The  Plymp- 
ton incident  is  dead  and  buried.  The  three  of  us 
must  hold  always  the  secret  close.  The  black 
mark  is  rubbed  off  the  slate." 

"You  have  done  right — oh,  believe  me,  sir !"  de- 
clared Ralph  earnestly.  "I  feel  sure  that  Mr. 
Fogg  has  learned  a  lesson  that  he  will  never  for- 
get, and  the  blessings  of  his  sick  wife,  of  his  am- 
bitious young  daughter,  will  be  yours." 

"In  my  desk  yonder,"  continued  the  master 
mechanic,  "I  have  his  written  pledge  that  drink 
is  a  thing  of  the  past  with  him.  I  told  Fogg  that 
if  ever  he  disappointed  me  in  my  belief  that  he 
was  a  changed  man,  a  reformed  man,  I  would 
leave  the  service  feeling  that  my  mistaken  judg- 


98    RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

tnent  did  not  do  justice  to  my  position  with  the 
Great  Northern.  As  to  you,  ready  to  sacrifice 
yourself  for  the  sake  of  others — you  are  a  young 
man  among  thousands.  Drop  it  now — get  out!" 
ordered  the  master  mechanic,  with  a  vast  show  of 
authority.  "It's  all  under  seal  of  silence,  and  I 
expect  to  see  you  and  Fogg  make  a  great  team." 

"Air.  Fogg's  house  has  just  burned  down,"  said 
Ralph.  "It  would  have  broken  him  down  com- 
pletely, if  his  discharge  had  been  added  to  that 
misfortune." 

"Burned  down?"  repeated  the  master  mechanic, 
in  surprise  and  with  interest.  "How  was  that?" 
and  Ralph  had  to  recite  the  story  of  the  fire.  lie 
added  that  he  had  heard  Fogg  had  but  little  in- 
surance. 

"Wait  a  minute,"  directed  the  official,  and  he 
went  into  the  next  office.  Ralph  heard  him  dic- 
tating something  to  his  stenographer.  Then  the 
typewriter  clicked,  and  shortly  afterwards  the 
master  mechanic  came  into  the  office  with  a  sheet 
of  foolscap,  which  he  handed  to  Ralph.  A  pleased 
^ush  came  into  the  face  of  the  young  railroader 
as  he  read  the  typewritten  heading  of  the  sheet- 
it  was  a  subscription  list  in  behalf  of  Lemuel 
Fogg,  and  headed  by  the  signature  of  the  master 
mechanic,  with  "$20"  after  it. 


THE  MASTER  MECHANIC  99 

"You  are  a  noble  man!"  cried  Ralph  irresist- 
ibly.    "No  wonder  it's  a  joy  to  work  for  you." 

''Down  brakes  there !"  laughed  the  big-hearted 
fellow.  "Don't  draw  it  too  strong,  Fairbanks. 
Don't  be  more  liberal  than  you  can  afford  now," 
he  directed,  as  Ralph  placed  the  paper  on  the  desk, 
and  added  to  it  his  subscription  for  $10.  "You 
can  tell  Fogg  we're  rising  a  few  pennies  for  him. 
I'll  circulate  the  subscription  among  the  officials, 
and  if  any  plan  to  have  the  roundhouse  crowd  chip 
in  a  trifle  comes  to  your  mind,  why,  start  it  down 
the  rails.    Get  out." 

"All  right,"  cried  Ralph.  "You've  said  that 
twice,  so  I  guess  it's  time  to  go  now." 

"One  minute,  though,"  added  the  master  me- 
chanic. "You  and  Fogg  will  run  No.  999  on  the 
Tipton  accommodation  to-morrow.  It's  a  shift 
berth,  though.  I  don't  want  you  to  go  dreaming 
quite  yet,  Fairbanks,  that  you're  president  of  the 
Great  Northern,  and  all  that,  but,  under  the  hat, 
I  will  say  that  you  can  expect  a  boost.  We  are 
figuring  on  some  big  things,  and  I  shouldn't  won- 
der if  a  new  train  is  soon  to  be  announced  that 
will  wake  up  some  of  our  rivals.  Get  out  now 
for  good,  for  I'm  swamped  with  work  here." 

The  young  engineer  left  the  office  of  the  master 
mechanic  with  a  very  happy  heart.  Affairs  had 
turned  out  to  his  entire  satisfaction,  and,  too, 


(00    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

for  the  benefit  of  those  whose  welfare  he  had 
considered  beyond  his  own.  Ralph  was  full  of 
the  good  news  he  had  to  impart  to  Lemuel  Fogg. 
As  he  left  the  vicinity  of  the  depot,  he  began  to 
formulate  a  plan  in  his  mind  for  securing  a  sub- 
scription from  his  fellow  workers  to  aid  Fogg. 

''I  say,"  suddenly  remarked  Ralph  to  himself 
with  a  queer  smile,  and  halting  in  his  progress, 
"talk  about  coincidences,  here  is  one  for  certain. 
'The  Overland  Limited,'  why,  I've  got  an  idea!" 

The  "Overland  Limited"  had  been  in  Ralph's 
mind  ever  since  leaving  the  office  of  the  master 
mechanic.  There  could  be  only  one  solution  to 
the  hint  that  official  had  given  of  "new  trains  that 
tvould  wrake  up  some  of  the  rivals  of  the  Great 
Northern."  That  road  had  recently  bought  up 
two  connecting  lines  of  railroad.  The  China  & 
Japan  Mail  experiment — could  it  be  a  test  as  to 
the  possibility  of  establishing  an  "Overland  Spe- 
cial?" At  all  events,  there  was  a  pertinent  sug- 
gestion in  the  words  that  met  the  gaze  of  the 
young  engineer  and  caused  him  to  halt  calculat- 
ingly. 

A  newly-painted  store  front  with  clouded  win- 
dows had  a  placard  outside  bearing  the  announce- 
ment:  "Olympia  Theatre,  io-cent  show.  Will 
open  next  Saturday  evening  with  the  following 
special  scenes:  i — The  Poor  Artist.     2 — London 


THE  MASTER  MECHAXIC  lot 

by  Gaslight.  3 — A  Day  on  the  Overland  Linr 
ited."  As  the  door  of  the  store  just  being  reno- 
vated for  a  picture  show  stood  a  man,  tying  some 
printed  bills  to  an  awning  rod  for  passers  by  to 
take.     Ralph  approached  this  individual. 

''Going  to  open  a  moving  picture  show?"  he 
inquired  in  a  friendly  way. 

"I  am,"  responded  the  show  man.  "Inter- 
ested?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Ralph. 

"I  hope  the  public  will  be.  It's  a  so-rt  of  experi- 
ment, with  two  other  shows  in  town.  There's 
none  in  this  locality,  and  they  tell  me  I'll  do  well." 

"I  should  think  so,"  answered  Ralph.  "Bright, 
clean  pictures  will  draw  a  good  crowd." 

"I'd  like  to  get  the  railroad  men  in  touch  with 
me.  They  and  their  families  could  give  me  lots 
of  business.  There's  that  prime  'Overland'  scene. 
It's  a  new  and  fine  film." 

"And  it  has  suggested  something  to  me  that 
you  may  be  glad  to  follow  out,"  spoke  Ralph. 

"And  what's  that,  neighbor?"  inquired  the 
showman  curious!}'. 

"Til  tell  you,"  responded  Ralph.  "There  was  a 
fire  in  town  to-day — one  of  the  best-known  fire- 
men on  the  road  was  burned  out.  It's  a  big  blow 
to  him,  for  he's  lost  about  all  he  had.  There  isn't 
a  railroad  man  in  Stanley  Junction  who  would 


102   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

not  be  glad  to  help  him  get  on  his  feet  again.  The 
big  fellows  of  the  road  will  subscribe  in  a  good 
way,  but  the  workers  can't  spare  a  great  deal." 

''I  see,"  nodded  the  man.  "What  are  you  get- 
ting at,  though?" 

"Just  this,"  explained  Ralph.  "You  get  out 
some  special  dodgers  and  announce  your  opening 
night  as  a  benefit  for  Lemuel  Fogg,  fireman.  Of- 
fer to  donate  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  proceeds  to 
Fogg,  and  I'll  guarantee  to  crowd  your  house  to 
the  doors." 

"Say!"  enthused  the  man,  slapping  Ralph  bois- 
terously on  the  shoulder,  "you're  a  natural  show- 
man. Write  me  the  dodger,  will  you,  and  I'll  have 
it  over  the  streets  inside  of  twenty-four  hours." 

"I'm  better  at  filling  in  time  schedules  than  com- 
posing show  bills,"  said  Ralph,  "but  I'll  have  a  try 
at  this  one  for  my  friend's  sake." 

Ralph  went  inside  and  was  soon  busy  with  blank 
paper  and  pencil,  which  the  showman  provided. 
His  composition  was  a  very  creditable  piece  of  lit- 
erary work,  and  the  showman  chuckled  im- 
mensely, and  told  Ralph  that  he  could  consider 
himself  on  the  free  list — "with  all  his  family." 

Ralph  made  a  start  for  home  again,  but  his 
fixed  plans  were  scheduled  for  frequent  changes, 
it  seemed.  An  engineer  friend,  on  his  way  to  the 
roundhouse,    met    him,    and    Ralph    turned    and 


THE  MASTER  MECHANIC  103 

walked  that  way  with  him.  He  broached  the  sub- 
ject nearest  to  his  heart,  and  soon  had  his  com- 
panion interested  in  the  subscription  for  Lemuel 
Fogg.  When  he  parted  with  the  man  at  the  end 
of  the  depot  platform  the  latter  had  promised  to 
be  responsible  for  great  results  among  his  fellow- 
workmen. 

The  young  engineer  now  proceeded  in  the  direc- 
tion of  home.  The  whistle  of  the  western  accom- 
modation, however,  just  arriving,  held  him  sta- 
tionary for  a  few  moments,  and  he  stood  watching 
the  train  roll  into  the  depot  with  the  interest  ever 
present  with  a  railroader. 

The  last  coach  was  a  chair  car.  As  the  coaches 
jolted  to  a  halt,  there  crawled  or  rather  rolled 
from  under  the  chair  car  a  forlorn  figure,  weak- 
ened, tattered,  a  stowaway  delivered  from  a  peril- 
ous stolen  ride  on  the  trucks. 

It  was  a  boy;  Ralph  saw  that  at  a  glance.  As 
the  depot  watchman  ran  forward  to  nab  this 
juvenile  offender  against  the  law,  the  boy  sat  up 
on  the  board  plankway  where  he  had  landed,  and 
Ralph  caught  a  sight  of  his  face. 

In  an  instant  the  young  railroader  recognized 
this  new  arrival.  It  was  "Wheels,"  otherwise 
Archie  Graham,  the  boy  inventor. 


CHAPTER  XII 

A  GOOD  FRIEND 

Ralph  could  not  repress  a  smile  ai  i  Jglit  of 
the  erratic  youth.  The  young  inventor  i<  seemed, 
was  always  coining  to  light  in  some  oiiginal  way- 
His  last  sensational  appearance  fitted  in  naturally 
to  his  usual  eccentric  methods. 

"Hey,  there!  trying  to  beat  the  railroad,  eh?n 
shouted  the  depot  official  officer,  rushing  forward 
to  nab  the  culprit. 

"Don't  arrest  him,  Mr.  Brooks,"  spoke  Ralph 
quickly.  "I  know  him;  I'm  interested  in  him.  He 
is  no  professional  ride-stealer,  and  I  am  perfectly 
satisfied  that  he  never  went  to  all  that  risk  and  dis- 
comfort because  he  didn't  have  the  money  to  pay 
his  fare." 

The  watchman  was  an  old-time  friend  of  Ralph. 
He  looked  puzzled,  but  he  halted  in  his  original  in- 
tention of  arresting  the  stowaway.  Young  Gra- 
ham paid  no  attention  to  anything  going  on  about 
him.  He  seemed  occupied  as  usual  with  his  own 
104 


A  GOOD  FRIEXD  105 

thoughts  solely.  First  he  dug  cinders  out  of  his 
blinking  eyes.  Then  he  rubbed  the  coating  of 
grime  and  soot  from  his  face,  and  began  groping 
in  his  pockets.  Very  ruefully  he  turned  out  one 
particular  inside  coat  pocket.  He  shook  his  head 
in  a  doleful  way. 

"Gone!"  he  remarked.  "Lost  my  pocket  book. 
Friend — a  pencil,  quick." 

These  words  he  spoke  to  Ralph,  beckoning  him 
earnestly  to  approach  nearer. 

"And  a  card,  a  piece  of  paper,  anything  I  can 
write  on.    Don't  delay — hurry,  before  I  forget  it." 

Ralph  found  a  stub  of  a  pencil  and  some  rail- 
road blanks  in  his  pocket,  and  gave  them  to  the 
young  inventor.  Then  the  latter  set  at  work,  be- 
coming utterly  oblivious  of  his  surroundings.  For 
nearly  two  minutes  he  was  occupied  in  making 
memoranda  and  drawing  small  sections  of  curves 
and  lines. 

"All  right,  get  it,  good !"  he  voiced  exultantly, 
as  he  returned  the  pencil  to  Ralph  and  carefully 
stowed  the  slips  of  paper  in  his  pocket.  Then  he 
arose  to  his  feet.  He  smiled  queerly  as  he  gazed 
down  at  his  tattered  garments  and  grimed  and 
blistered  hands. 

"Pretty  looking  sight,  ain't  I?"  he  propounded 
to  the  young  engineer.  "Had  to  do  it,  though. 
Glad  I  did  it.    Got  the  actual  details,  see?'' 


XOG        RALPH  OX  THE  Ol'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

"What  of,  may  I  ask?*'  inquired  Ralph. 

"New  idea.  Save  fuel,  make  the  engine  g<3 
Taster.  Been  figuring  on  it  for  months,"  explained 
the  strange  boy.    "I  live  at  Bridgeport." 

"Yes,  I  know,"  nodded  Ralph.  "I  saw  you 
there." 

"Did?  Glad  of  that,  too.  If  you  feel  friendly 
enough,  maybe  you'll  advise  me  what  to  do  in  my 
distressing  plight.  Stranger  here,  and  lost  my 
pocketbook.  It  fell  out  of  my  pocket  while  I  was 
hanging  on  to  the  trucks.     Not  a  cent." 

"That  can  be  fixed  all  right,  I  think,"  said 
Ralph. 

"Clothes  all  riddled— need  a  bath." 

"You  had  better  come  with  me  to  the  hotel,  Mr. 
Graham,"  spoke  Ralph.  "I  know  enough  about 
you  to  be  interested  in  you.  I  will  vouch  for  you 
to  the  hotel  keeper,  who  will  take  care  of  you  until 
you  hear  from  home." 

"Yes.  Got  money  in  the  bank  at  Bridgeport," 
said  Archie  Graham.  "As  I  was  telling  you,  I've 
struck  a  new  idea.  You  know  I've  been  trying  to 
invent  something  for  a  number  of  years." 

"Yes,  I've  heard  about  that,  and  sincerely  hope 
you  will  figure  out  a  success." 

"Stick  at  it,  anyway,"  declared  Archie.  "Well, 
at  Bridgeport  they  take  me  as  a  joke,  see?  That's 
all  right;  I'll  show  them,  some  day.     They  voted 


A  GOOD  FRIEND  107 

me  a  nuisance  at  the  shops  and  shut  me  out 
Wouldn't  let  me  come  near  their  engines.  I  had 
to  find  out  some  things  necessary  to  my  inven- 
tions, so  I  came  on  to  Stanley  Junction.  Rode  in 
a  coach  like  any  other  civilized  being  until  I  got 
about  ten  miles  from  here — last  stop." 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"Well,  there  I  stepped  out  of  the  coach  and  un- 
der it.  Whew !  but  it  was  an  experience  I'll  never 
try  again.  All  the  same,  I  got  what  I  was  after. 
I  wanted  to  learn  how  many  revolutions  an  axle 
made  in  so  many  minutes.  I  wanted  to  know,  too, 
how  a  belt  could  be  attached  under  a  coach.  I've 
got  the  outlines  of  the  facts,  how  to  work  out  my 
invention :  'Graham's  Automatic  Bellows  Gear- 
fag.'  " 

Ralph  did  not  ask  for  further  details  as  to  the 
device  his  companion  had  in  mind.  He  led  a 
pleasant  conversation  the  way  from  the  depot,  and 
when  they  reached  the  hotel  introduced  Archie  to 
its  proprietor. 

"This  friend  of  mine  will  be  all  right  for  what 
he  orders,  Mr.  Lane,"  said  Ralph. 

"Yes,  I'm  going  to  stay  here  some  days,  perhaps 
a  week  or  two,"  explained  the  young  inventor, 
"so,  if  you'll  give  me  a  blank  check  I'll  fill  it  for 
what  cash  I  may  need.  You  put  it  through  your 
bank  and  the  funds  will  be  here  to-morrow." 


10S        RALPH  OX  THE  OJ'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

Everything  was  arranged  in  a  satisfactory  way, 
even  to  Archie  ordering'  a  new  suit  of  clothes.  The 
youth  came  out  temporarily  from  his  usual  pro- 
fundity, and  had  a  real,  natural  boyish  talk  with 
Ralph.  The  latter  recited  the  incident  of  the 
adventure  with  Billy  Bouncer's  crowd  at  Bridge- 
port. 

"Oh,  that  Jim  Scroggins  fellow,"  said  Archie, 
with  a  smile.  "Yes,  I  remember — 'kick  him 
Scroggins.'  You  see,  he  had  broken  into  my 
workshop,  destroyed  some  devices  I  was  working 
on  and  stole  a  lot  of  my  tools.  So  you're  Mr. 
Fairbanks?    I've  heard  of  you." 

"Ralph,  you  mean,  Mr.  Graham,"  observed  the 
young  railroader  pleasantly. 

"Then  Archie,  you  mean,"  added  his  eccentric 
companion.  "I'd  like  to  be  friends  with  you,  for 
I  can  see  you  are  the  right  sort.  You've  done  a 
good  deal  for  me." 

"Oh,  don't  notice  that." 

"And  you  can  do  a  good  deal  more." 

"Indeed?  How?" 

"By  getting  me  free  range  of  your  roundhouse 
here.    Can  you?" 

"I  will  be  glad  to  do  it,"  answered  Ralph. 

"I  hope  you  will,"  said  Archie  gratefully. 
"They  don't  know  me  here,  and  they  won't  poke 
fun  at  me  or  hinder  me.     I'm  not  going  to  stei4 


A  GOOD  FRIEXD  109 

an)7  of  their  locomotives.     I  just  want  to  study 
them." 

"That's  all  right,"  said  Ralph,  "I'll  see  you  to- 
morrow and  fix  things  for  you,  so  you  will  be 
welcome  among  my  railroad  friends." 

"You're  a  royal  good  fellow,  Mr.  Ralph,"  de- 
clared the  young  inventor  with  enthusiasm,  "and 
I  don't  know  how  to  thank  you  enough." 

"Well,  I've  tried  to  do  something  for  humanity 
to-day,"  reflected  the  young  engineer  brightly,  as 
he  wended  his  way  homewards.  "It  comes  easj 
and  natural,  too,  when  a  fellow's  trying  to  do  hi 
level  best." 

Ralph  found  his  mother  bustling  about  at.  ? 
great  rate  when  he  reached  home.  The  excite- 
ment over  the  fire  had  died  down.  Fogg  was  up 
at  the  ruins  getting  his  rescued  household  belong- 
ings to  a  neighborly  shelter.  The  string  of  ex- 
cited friends  to  condole  with  Mrs.  Fogg  had 
dwindled  away,  and  the  poor  lady  lay  in  comfort 
and  peace  in  the  best  bedroom  of  the  house. 

"She  seems  so  grateful  to  you  for  having  saved 
her  life,"  Mrs.  Fairbanks  told  Ralph,"  and  so 
glad,  she  told  me,  that  her  husband  had  signed 
the  pledge,  that  she  takes  the  fire  quite  reason- 
ably." 

"Yes,"  remarked  Ralph,  "I  heard  about  the 
pledge,  and  it  is  a  blessed  thing.     I  have  other 


HO        RALPH  OX  THE  Ol'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

grand  news,  too.  There's  a  lot  of  good  fellows 
in  Stanley  Junction,  and  the  Foggs  won't  be  long 
without  a  shelter  over  their  heads,"  and  Ralph 
told  his  mother  all  about  the  subscription  list  and 
the  moving  picture  show  benefit. 

"You  are  a  grand  manager,  Ralph,"  said  the 
fond  mother.  "I  am  only  too  glad  to  do  my 
share  in  making  these  people  welcome  and  cony 
fortable." 

"You  know  how  to  do  it,  mother,"  declared 
Ralph,  "that's  sure." 

"It  seems  as  if  things  came  about  just  right  to 
take  in  the  Foggs,"  spoke  Mrs.  Fairbankx 
"Limpy  Joe  went  back  to  his  restaurant  on  the 
Short  Line  yesterday,  and  Zeph  Dallas  has  left, 
looking  for  a  new  job,  he  says,  so  we  have  plenty 
of  spare  rooms  for  our  guests.' 

Ralph  started  for  the  ruined  Fogg  homestead 
to  see  if  he  could  be  of  any  use  there.  He  came 
upon  Fogg  moving  some  furniture  to  the  barn 
of  a  neighbor  on  a  hand-cart.  The  fireman 
dropped  the  handles  as  he  saw  Ralph.  His  face 
worked  with  vivid  emotion  as  he  grasped  the 
hand  of  the  young  railroader. 

"Fairbanks,"  he  said,  "what  can  I  say  to  you 
except  that  you  have  been  the  best  friend  I  have 
ever  known!" 


A  GOOD  FRIEND  ill 

''Nothing,  except  to  make  up  your  mind  that 
the  friendship  will  last  if  you  want  to  suit  me." 

"Honest — honest?"  urged  Fogg,  the  tears  in 
his  eyes,  earnestly  regarding  Ralph's  face.  "You 
don't  despise  me?" 

"Oh,  yes,  we  all  dislike  you,  Mr.  Fogg!"  railed 
Ralph,  with  a  hearty  laugh.  "The  master  me- 
chanic has  such  bitter  animosity  for  you,  that  he's 
taking  his  revenge  by  circulating  a  subscription 
list  to  help  build  you  a  new  home." 

"Never!"  gasped  Fogg,  overcome. 

"What's  more,"  proceeded  Ralph,  in  the  same 
ironical  tone,  "the  men  down  at  the  roundhouse 
have  such  a  deep  grudge  against  you,  that  they 
are  following  his  example." 

"I  don't  deserve  it — I  don't  deserve  it!'  mur- 
mured the  fireman. 

"Why,  even  the  new  moving  picture  showman 
is  so  anxious  to  throw  you  down,  that  he's  going 
to  give  you  a  benefit  Saturday  evening." 

"I  guess  I'm  the  wickedest  and  happiest  man 
in  the  world,"  said  Fogg,  in  a  subdued  tone. 

"You  ought  to  be  the  happiest,  after  that  little 
memoranda  you  gave  to  the  master  mechanic," 
suggested  Ralph. 

"The  pledge?  Yes!"  cried  the  fireman,  "and 
I  mean  to  keep  it,  too.     He  told  you  about  it?" 

"And  everything  else  necessary  to  tell,"  replied 


112   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Ralph.  "It's  all  settled.  He  says  you  and  1 
ought  to  make  a  strong  team.  Let's  try,  hard, 
Mr.  Fogg." 

"Lad,  I'll  shew  you!"  declared  Fogg  solemnly. 

"All  right,  then  say  n<>  more  about  it,  and  let 
us  get  these  traps  under  cover,  and  get  home  to 
enjoy  a  famous  meal  my  mother  is  preparing  for 
all  hands." 

Activity  and  excitement  around  the  Fairbanks 
home  did  not  die  down  until  long  after  dark.  All 
the  afternoon  and  evening  people  came  to  the 
house  to  see  Fogg,  to  offer  sympathy  and  prac- 
lical  assistance.  If  the  fireman  needed  encour- 
agement, he  got  plenty  of  it.  He  seemed  to  have 
grown  into  a  new  man  under  the  chastening, 
and  yet  hopeful  influences  of  that  eventful  day  in 
his  life.  Before  his  very  eyes  Ralph  fancied  he 
saw  his  fireman  grow  in  new  manliness,  courage 
and  earnestness  of  purpose. 

All  hands  were  tired  enough  to  sleep  soundly 
that  night.  When  Ralph  came  down  stairs  in  the 
morning,  his  mother  told  him  that  Fogg  was  up 
and  about  already.  She  believed  he  had  gone  up 
to  the  ruins  to  look  over  tilings  in  a  general  way. 
Ralph  went  out  to  hunt  up  the  stroller  for  break- 
fast. 

Scarcely  started  from  the  house,  he  halted 
abruptly,  for  the  object  of  his  quest  was  in  view. 


A  GOOD  FRIEXD  113 

Ralph  saw  the  fireman  about  half  a  block  away. 
He  was  facing  two  men  whom  Ralph  recognized 
as  Hall  and  Wilson,  two  blacklisters  who  had 
been  prominent  in  the  railroad  strike. 

One  of  them  was  gesticulating  vigorously  and 
telling  something  to  Fogg,  while  his  companion 
chipped  in  a  word  now  and  then.  Suddenly  some- 
thing appeared  to  be  said  that  roused  up  the  fire- 
man. His  hand  went  up  in  the  air  with  an  angry 
menacing  motion.  He  shouted  out  some  words 
that  Ralph  could  not  hear  at  the  distance  he  was 
from  the  scene. 

The  two  men  seemed  to  remonstrate.  One  oi 
them  raised  his  own  fist  menacingly.  The  other 
crowded  towards  Fogg  in  a  stealthy,  suspicious 
way. 

In  a  flash  the  climax  came.  Swinging  out  his 
gfant  hand,  the  fireman  of  No.  999  seized  his 
nearest  opponent  and  gave  him  a  fling  into  the 
ditch.  He  then  sprang  at  the  other,  and  sent  him 
whirling  head  over  heels  to  join  his  companion. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE    "DLACK    HAND" 

Lemuel  Fogg's  opponents  scrambled  to  their 
feet  and  sneaked  off  immediately.  The  fireman 
turned  his  back  upon  them,  and  strode  down  the 
sidewalk  in  the  direction  of  the  Fairbanks'  h^me 
with  a  stormy  and  disturbed  expression  on  his 
face. 

"Trouble,  Mr.  Fogg?"  intimated  the  young  rail- 
roader, as  the  fireman  approached  him. 

"No,"  dissented  Fogg  vigorously,  "the  end  of 
trouble.  "I'm  sorry  to  lose  my  temper,  lad,  but 
those  ruffians  were  the  limit.  They  know  my 
sentiments  now." 

"They  were  Hall  and  Wilson,  I  noticed,"  sug- 
gested Ralph. 

"Yes,"  returned  the  fireman,  "and  two  worse  un« 
hung  rascals  never  walked.  They  came  about  you. 
Say,  Mr.  Fairbanks,"  continued  Fogg  excitedly, 
"It  wasn't  so  bad  tackling  me  as  a  sort  of  comrade, 
considering  that  I  had  been  foolish  enough  to 
train  with  them  once,  but  when  they  mentioned 
114 


THE  "BLACK  HAND"  H5 

you — I  went  wild.  You — after  what  you've  clone 
for  me  and  mine!     Say " 

"Hold  on— close  the  brakes,"  ordered  Ralph,  as 
his  companion  seemed  inclined  to  run  after  his 
recent  adversaries  and  seek  them  out  for  a  further 
castigation.  "You've  made  the  brake  with  them 
— forget  them." 

"They  had  a  new  plot  to  get  a  black  mark 
against  you,"  went  on  the  fireman.  "I  heard 
them  half  through  their  plans.  Then  I  sailed  into 
them." 

"Well,  breakfast  is  ready,"  said  Ralph,  "and 
after  that,  work,  so  we'd  better  get  down  to 
schedule." 

The  run  to  which  No.  999  had  been  apportioned 
covered  the  Muddy  Creek  branch  of  the  Great 
Northern  to  Riverton.  The  train  was  an  accom- 
modation and  ran  sixty  miles.  It  was  to  leave 
Stanley  Junction  at  9:15  A.  M.,  arrive  at  ter- 
minus at  about  noon,  and  start  back  for  the  Junc- 
;ion  at  two  o'clock. 

Ralph  left  the  house  about  eight  o'clock,  after 
arranging  to  meet  his  fireman  at  the  roundhouse. 
He  went  to  the  hotel  to  see  Archie  Graham,  and 
found  that  youthful  genius  in  his  room  figuring 
out  some  mathematical  problem  at  a  table. 

"Well,  how  are  you  this  morning?"  inquired 
Ralph  cheerily. 


HO   RALPH   O.V  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"First-rate,  except  that  I'm  a  trifle  sleepy,"  re« 
plied  the  young  inventor.  "Say,  I  was  riding  un- 
der the  coaches  all  night  long.  It  was  dream 
after  dream.  I  believe  it  tired  me  out  more  than 
the  real  thing." 

"You  haven't  got  your  new  clothes  yet,  I  see," 
observed  Ralph,  with  a  glance  at  the  tattered  attire 
of  his  new  acquaintance. 

"They  are  ordered,"  explained  Archie,  "but 
they  won't  be  here  until  late  this  afternoon." 

"When  they  do,"  said  Ralph,  taking  a  card  from 
his  pocket  and  writing  a  few  lines  on  it,  "if  you 
don't  want  to  wait  till  I  have  some  leisure,  take 
this  to  Mr.  Forgan,  down  at  the  roundhouse." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Archie. 

"He'll  extend  all  the  civilities  to  you.  I  hope 
you  may  discover  something  of  advantage." 

"I'll  try,"  promised  Archie. 

Seeing  the  young  inventor,  reminded  Ralph  of 
Bridgeport,  and  naturally  lie  thought  of  the  boy 
he  had  known  as  Marvin  Clark. 

"He  telegraphed  that  he  would  see  me," 
ruminated  Ralph.  "I  shall  miss  him  if  he  comes 
to  Stanley  Junction  to-day,  but  he  will  probably 
wait  around  for  me — that  is,  if  he  comes  at  all.  If 
he  doesn't,  in  a  day  or  two  I  shall  start  some  kind 
of  an  investigation  as  to  this  strange  case  of 
double  identity." 


THE  "BLACK  HAND"  n7 

When  Ralph  got  to  the  roundhouse  he  found 
Fogg  in  the  dog-house  chatting  with  his  fiiends. 
He  had  to  tell  the  story  of  the  fire  over  and  over 
again,  it  seemed,  at  each  new  arrival  of  an  inter- 
ested comrade,  and  Ralph's  heroic  sha/e  in  the 
incident  was  fully  exploited.  The  young  rail- 
roader was  overwhelmed  by  his  loyal  admirers 
with  congratulations.  Ralph  felt  glad  to  compare 
the  anticipated  trip  with  the  starting  out  on  the 
first  record  run  of  No.  999,  when  he  had  a  half- 
mad  sullen  fireman  for  a  helper. 

As  the  wiper  finished  his  work  on  the  locomo- 
tive, engineer  and  fireman  got  into  the  cab. 

"Hello!"  exclaimed  Fogg  sharply. 

"Hello!"  echoed  his  cabmate. 

A  little  square  strip  of  paper  was  levealed  to 
both,  as  they  opened  their  bunkers.  It  was  patent 
that  some  one  had  sneaked  into  the  roundhouse 
and  had  pasted  the  papers  there.  Each  slip  bore 
a  crude  outline  of  a  human  hand,  drawn  in  pencil. 

"Bah !"  spoke  Fogg,  with  a  brush  of  a  chisel 
scraping  the  portraiture  on  his  own  box  out  of  all 
semblance,  and  then  doing  the  same  with  the 
picture  on  the  reverse  cover  of  Ralph's  bunker. 

"What  is  it,  Fogg?"  inquired  the  young  rail- 
roader, to  whom  the  ominous  sketches  were  a 
new  wrinkle. 

"Black  Hand,"  explained  Fogg. 


;iS   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Whose — why?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"The  outcast  gang.  It's  one  of  their  scare 
tricks.  Humph!  I'd  like  to  get  sight  of  the  fel- 
low who  thought  he  was  doing  a  smart  trick. 
The  Black  Hands  are  supposed  to  warn  us  that 
we're  doomed  by  the  gang,  see?  It's  a  notifica- 
tion that  the  trouncing  I  gave  those  fellows  Hall 
and  Wilson  is  a  declaration  of  war  to  the  knife." 

"Well,  let  it  come.  Aren't  we  equal  to  it,  Mr. 
Fogg?" 

"You  are,  for  they  can't  hit  you  hard.  You've 
made  your  mark,"  said  the  fireman,  somewhat 
gloomily.  "I'm  not  in  the  same  class.  I've  had 
my  weak  spots.  Besides,  it's  me  they'll  be  after. 
Dunno,  Fairbanks,  maybe  I'd  better  not  be  the 
cause  of  getting  you  into  any  more  trouble.  Per- 
haps I'd  better  slide  for  a  bit  into  some  switch- 
yard job." 

"What — scared?"  cried  Ralph. 

"No,  not  scared,"  responded  Fogg  soberly, 
""only  worried  about  you." 

"Well,"  said  Ralph,  "the  master  mechanic  said 
we  were  a  strong  team?" 

"Ye-es." 

"Let's  prove  to  him  that  we  are.  Good-by  to 
the  Black  Hands,  Mr.  Fogg,  they  aren't  worth 
thinking  about." 

So  the  young  railroader  rallied  and  cheered  his 


THE  "BLACK  HAND"  HQ 

comrade,  and  they  had  got  beyond  the  turn  table 
and  had  quite  forgotten  the  incident  of  the  pasters, 
when  John  Griscom  mounted  the  cab  step.  He 
nodded  genially  to  both  Ralph  and  the  fireman. 
Griscom  knew  pretty  much  what  was  going  on 
most  of  the  time,  and  the  master  mechanic  was 
a  close  friend  of  his. 

"Just  a  word,  Fairbanks/5  he  began  in  a  confi- 
dential tone,  and  the  young  engineer  bent  over 
towards  him.  "I  don't  want  to  be  croaking  all 
the  time,  but  railroading  isn't  all  fun  and  frolic." 

"What's  the  matter  now,  Mr.  Griscom?"  in- 
quired Ralph. 

"The  old  strike  gang  is  the  trouble,  and  will  be 
until  they're  laid  out,  ragtail  and  bobtail,  dead 
cold.  I  have  a  friend  in  a  certain  department  of 
the  service  here.  He  isn't  giving  away  official 
business  any,  but  he  isn't  in  sympathy  with  Hall 
or  Wilson.  One  of  them  sent  a  wire  to  Riverton 
in  hour  since.  It  was  to  some  one  the  operator 
never  heard  of  before,  evidently  a  friend  of  theirs. 
It  mentioned  999,  your  name,  and  Fogg.  The 
rest  of  it  was  in  cipher." 

"We've  just  had  a  Black  Hand  warning,  here 
m  the  cab,"  said  Ralph. 

"Oh,  you  have?"  muttered  Griscom.  "Then 
there's  new  mischief  afoot.  Look  out  for  snags 
at  Riverton." 


120   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Ralph  realized  that  it  wasn't  very  pleasant 
working  under  the  continual  menace  of  enemies 
plotting  in  the  dark  and  in  a  mean,  desperate  way. 
There  was  nothing  for  it,  however,  but  to  exer- 
cise patience,  vigilance  and  courage. 

"They  shall  never  drive  me  from  my  post  of 
duty,"  firmly  decided  the  young  railroader.  "1 
shall  neither  tire  out  nor  scare  out." 

Riverton  was  made  on  time  and  with  no  un- 
pleasant incident  to  mar  a  schedule  trip.  No.  999 
was  run  to  a  siding,  and  Ralph  and  Fogg  had  over 
two  hours  on  their  hands  to  spend  as  they  chose. 
They  had  brought  their  lunch,  and  they  dispatched 
the  best  part  of  it  in  the  cab.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  hacf 
put  it  up  in  a  basket,  and  a  two-quart  fruit  jar 
held  the  cold  coffee.  After  the  repast  Fogg  fixed 
the  fire  and  they  strolled  down  to  the  depot. 

The  station  agent  was  an  old  acquaintance  ot 
Ralph.  He  knew  Van  Sherwin,  Limpy  Joe  and 
the  people  up  at  the  Short  Line  railroad,  kept 
posted  on  their  progress  pretty  closely,  and  he  had 
a  good  deal  of  interesting  railroad  gossip  to  retail 
o  Ralph. 

"Oh,  by  the  way,"  lie  observed  incidentally, 
after  they  had  conversed  for  some  time,  "there 
was  a  spruce  young  fellow  here  this  morning  ask- 
ing very  particularly  about  999  and  her  move 
ments.     He  mentioned  your  name,  too." 


THE  "BLACK  HAND"  121 

"Who  was  he?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"I  never  saw  him  before.  He  was  curious  all 
about  your  run,  hung  around  a  while  and  then 
disappeared.    I  haven't  seen  him  since." 

"Describe  him,  won't  you?"  and  the  station 
agent  did  so.  Ralph  was  sure  that  the  stranger 
was  the  youth  he  had  known  as  Marvin  Clark. 
From  that  time  on  until  the  train  got  ready  for 
the  return  trip,  the  young  railroader  kept  his  eyes 
open  for  a  glimpse  of  his  acquaintance  with  the 
double  identity.  The  latter,  however,  up  to  the 
time  No.  999  steamed  out  from  Riverton,  did  not 
put  in  an  appearance. 

"Well,  nobody  tackled  us  at  Riverton,"  ob- 
served Ralph,  as  he  and  Fogg  settled  down  com- 
fortably to  their  respective  tasks. 

"Better  not,"  retorted  the  fireman  keenly.  "I 
just  made  a  little  purchase  this  morning,  and  I'm 
going  to  stand  no  fooling,"  and  he  touched  his 
hip  pocket  meaningly.  "Have  a  swig?"  he  in- 
quired additionally,  as  he  reached  for  the  jar  of 
coffee  and  took  a  drink. 

"Oh,  I  could  feast  on  my  mother's  coffee  all 
day,"  observed  Ralph  as  the  jar  was  passed  to 
him.  "Now,  then,  you  finish  it  up  and  hand  me 
One  of  those  doughnuts." 

The  little  refection  seemed  to  add  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  moment.     Their  run  was  a  slow 


122        RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

one,  and  there  was  little  to  do  besides  keeping 
the  machinery  in  motion.  The  day  was  warm, 
but  the  air  was  balmy.  The  landscape  was  in* 
teresting",  and  they  seemed  gliding  along  as  in  a 
pleasing  dream. 

Later,  when  he  analyzed  his  sensations,  th& 
young  railroader,  recalling  just  these  impressions, 
knew  that  they  were  caused  by  artificial  condi- 
tions. Ralph  relapsed  into  a  dream — indeed,  he 
was  amazed,  he  was  startled  to  find  himself  open. 
ing  his  eyes  with  difficulty,  and  of  discovering  his 
fireman  doubled  up  in  his  seat,  fast  asleep.  He 
tried  to  shout  to  Fogg,  realizing  that  something 
was  wrong.  He  could  not  utter  a  word,  his. 
tongue  seemed  glued  to  the  roof  of  his  mouth. 
Ralph  barely  managed  to  slip  to  his  feet  in  an 
effort  to  arouse  his  cab  mate. 

"Something  wrong!"  ran  through  his  mind. 
A  vague  thrill  crossed  his  frame  as,  whirling  by 
a  landmark,  a  white-painted  cattle  guard,  he 
realized  that  he  must  have  gone  five  miles  with- 
out noting  distance. 

The  bridge  was  his  next  thought.  Muddy 
Creek  was  less  than  a  mile  ahead.  If  the  draw 
should  be  open!  Wildly  reaching  towards  the 
lever,  the  young  engineer  sank  to  the  floor  a 
senseless  heap,  while  No.  999,  without  a  guide, 
dashed  down  the  shining  rails! 


CHAPTER  XIV 

A  SERIOUS  PLOT 

"Who  stopped  this  train — and  why?" 

Dreamily  returning  to  consciousness,  these 
were  the  first  words  that  reached  Ralph  Fair- 
banks' rallying  consciousness.  They  were  spoken 
by  the  conductor  of  the  accommodation  train 
sharply.  The  locomotive  was  at  a  standstill,  and, 
staring  wonderingly,  the  conductor  stood  by  the 
side  of  the  tender. 

"I  did,"  answered  a  prompt  voice,  and  remov- 
ing his  hand  from  the  lever,  the  boy  whom  the 
young  engineer  had  known  as  Marvin  Clark 
drifted  before  his  vision. 

"Hello!"  exclaimed  the  conductor,  "I've  seen 
you  before.  You're  the  fellow  who  caught  the 
train  at  Riverton  just  as  she  left — had  a  free 
pass." 

"Never  mind  me,  Mr.  Conductor,"  responded 
the  other  rapidly.  "I'm  thinking  they  need  some 
attention,"  and  he  pointed  to  the  fireman,  lying 
123 


124   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

doubled  up  in  his  scat,  and  then  to  Ralph,  lying 
prone  on  the  floor  of  the  cab. 

"Fairbanks — Fogg!"  fairly  shouted  the  con- 
ductor.    "Why,  what  can  this  mean?" 

"Foul  play,  if  I'm  a  judge,"  spoke  Clark  de- 
finitely. "Fairbanks!  Fairbanks!"  he  shouted, 
stooping  over  and  lifting  Ralph  in  his  strong 
arms.     "Here,  brace  him  in  his  seat." 

"Water!"  gasped  the  young  engineer  in  a  chok- 
ing tone.  "My  throat  is  on  fire!  What  has  hap- 
pened?" 

"Nothing  alarming,"  answered  Clark  reassur- 
ingly, "only — I'm  glad  I  happened  to  be  here." 

Ralph's  mouth  and  throat  seemed  burning  up. 
The  water  he  drank  only  partially  allayed  his 
frantic  thirst.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  that 
he  could  arouse  himself  from  a  lethargy  that 
seemed  to  completely  paralyze  both  body  and 
mind.  As  the  moments  passed,  however,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  rallying  into  something  like  normal. 
But  as  yet  he  was  unable  to  fully  understand  jusf 
what  had  happened. 

"lie  needs  something  to  stimulate  him,"  de- 
clared the  conductor,  and  stepping  into  the  cab 
he  hastily  ransacked  the  fireman's  bunker. 
41  Aha!" 

His  tones  announced  a  discoverv — likewise  a 


A  SERIOUS  PLOT  125 

suspicion.    He  had  unearthed  two  flasks  of  liquor, 
one  only  partly  filled. 

"Not  for  me,"  said  Ralph,  waving  back  the  con- 
ductor, who  evidently  was  intent  on  administering 
a  stimulant.  "Liquor  !"  he  cried,  suddenly  bracing 
up  now.  "Fogg  never  brought  it  aboard.  It's 
some  plot!  Why!"  he  exclaimed,  in  sudden  en- 
lightenment, "I  see  it  all,  clear  as  day." 

What  Ralph  saw,  all  hands  in  the  cab  soon 
realized  within  the  ensuing  ten  minutes.  When 
they  had  aroused  Fogg,  there  followed  animated 
theory,  discovery  and  conviction.  Not  one  of 
them  doubted  but  that  some  enemy  had  sneaked 
aboard  of  the  locomotive  while  it  was  side- 
tracked at  noon  at  Riverton  and  had  put  some 
drug  in  the  jar  of  coffee.  They  found  a  suspi- 
cious dark  sediment  at  the  bottom  of  the  jar. 

"Black  Hands — mark  it  down,"  observed  Fogg. 
"Whoever  did  it,  also  placed  those  flasks  of  liquor 
in  my  bunker.  See  the  label  on  them?  They 
come  from  a  place  in  Riverton  I  never  was  in. 
The  scoundrels  aimed  to  have  us  found  in  the  cab, 
just  as  we  have  been,  and  a  report  go  in  that  the 
heat  and  too  much  liquor  had  crippled  us  from 
making  the  run." 

"You've  struck  it,  Fogg,"  assented  the  con- 
ductor. "Just  stow  that  jar  and  those  two  flasks 
in  a  safe  place.    I'll  have  our  special  agent  Adair, 


120   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

the  road  detective,  find  out  who  bought  that  liquor. 
No  need  of  any  blabbing  to  the  genera]  public. 
Are  you  able  to  complete  the  run,  Fairbanks?" 

"Certainly,"  reported  Ralph,  exercising  arms 
and  feet  vigorously  to  restore  their  circulation. 
Fogg  was  still  dazed  and  weak.  He  had  drunk 
more  of  the  coffee  than  Ralph.  Besides,  being 
the  older  of  the  two,  he  did  not  shake  off  the 
effei  ts  of  the  narcotic  so  readily  as  the  youn^ 
engineer. 

"I'll  help  fire — I  know  how  to,"  declared  Clark. 

"You  know  how  to  stop  an  engine,  too!"  com- 
mented the  conductor.  "All  right,  Fairbanks, 
when  you're  ready,"  and  he  returned  to  the 
coaches.  Ralph  extended  his  hand  to  Clark.  The 
latter  met  his  glance  frankly. 

"I've  been  trying  to  get  track  of  your  move- 
ments by  telegraph,"  said  Clark.  "Located  your 
run,  and  was  waiting  at  Riverton  for  your  train. 
Got  there  ahead  of  time,  and  came  back  to  the 
depot  just  as  999  was  pulling  out,  and  caught  the 
last  car.  First,  I  thought  I'd  not  show  myseif 
until  you  got  through  with  your  trip.  Things 
got  dull  in  those  humdrum  coaches,  though,  and 
I  sailed  ahead  to  the  tender,  saw  what  was  wrong, 
and  checked  up  the  locomotive  just  beyond  the 
bridge.  Say,  if  the  draw  had  been  open,  we'd  all 
have  had  a  bath,  eh?" 


A  SERIOUS  PLOT  127 

''The  miscreants  who  played  this  diabolical  trick 
ought  to  be  severely  punished,"  said  Ralph. 

There  was  no  evidence  of  strained  relations  be- 
tween the  tv  o  boys.  Ralph  recognized  that  Oar!*: 
had  sought  him  out  to  make  an  explanation.  He 
wondered  what  it  would  be.  The  present  was  not, 
however,  the  time  to  broach  the  subject.  There 
was  something  very  manly  and  reassuring  in 
Clark's  manner,  and  the  young  railroader  believed 
that  when  he  got  ready  to  disclose  his  secret,  the 
revelation  would  be  an  unusual  and  interesting 
one. 

The  train  was  started  up.  soon  made  up  the 
lost  time,  and  at  5:15  rolled  into  the  depot  at 
Stanley  Junction.  Ralph  did  not  feel  quite  as  well 
as  usual  and  his  fireman  was  pale  and  loggy,  but 
the  main  effects  of  the  drug  had  passed  off. 

"You  go  straight  home,  Mr.  Fogg,"  directed 
Ralph.  "I  will  see  that  999  is  put  to  bed  all 
right." 

"I  think  I'll  take  advantage  of  your  kind  offer, 
Fairbanks,"  responded  Fogg.  "I'm  weak  as  a 
cat,  and  my  head  is  going  around  like  an  electric 
turntable." 

Fogg  started  for  home.  Clark  rode  with  Ralph 
on  the  locomotive  to  the  roundhouse.  The  big 
engine  was  put  into  her  stall.  Then  the  boys  left 
the  place. 


X28   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAID  EXFRESS 

"I  have  something  to  say  to  you,  Fairbanks," 
began  Clark. 

"I  suppose  so,"  replied  Ralph.  "It  must  be 
quite  a  long  story,  though." 

"It  is,"  admitted  his  companion. 

"Then  suppose  we  leave  its  recital  till  we  are 
rested  a  bit,"  suggested  Ralph.  "I  want  you  to 
come  up  to  the  house  and  have  supper.  Then 
we'll  adjourn  to  the  garden  and  have  a  quiet,  com- 
fortable chat." 

"That  will  be  famous,"  declared  Clark.  "Say, 
you  don't  treat  an  imposter  like  myself  courteous 
or  anything,  do  you?" 

"Are  you  really  an  imposter?"  asked  Ralph, 
with  a  faint  smile. 

"I  am — and  a  rank  one." 

"Just  one  question — you  are  not  the  real  Mar* 
rin  Clark?" 

"No  more  than  yourself." 

"And  you  are  Fred  Porter?" 

"That's  it." 

"I  thought  so,"  said  the  young  engineer. 


CHAPTER  XV 
"the  silvandos" 

I  declare!"  exclaimed  Ralph  Fairbanks. 

"For  mercy's  sake !"  echoed  Fred  Porter. 

Both  stood  spellbound  just  within  the  grounds 
of  the  Fairbanks'  home,  where  they  had  arrived. 
Over  towards  the  dividing  lot  line  of  the  next 
door  neighbor,  their  eyes  had  lit  upon  an  unusual 
and  interesting  scene. 

Two  figures  were  in  action  among  the  branches 
of  the  great  oak  tree.  They  were  boys,  and  their 
natural  appearance  was  enough  to  attract  atten- 
tion. They  were  leaping,  springing,  chasing  one 
another  from  branch  to  branch,  with  a  remark- 
able agility  that  made  one  think  of  monkeys  and 
next  trained  athletes. 

"Who  are  they,  anyway  ?"  demanded  Fred. 

"They  are  new  to  me,"  confessed  the  young 
engineer. 

The  two  strangers  were  about  of  an  age,  under 
sixteen.  It  would  puzzle  one  to  figure  out  thei* 
129 


130   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

nationality.  Their  faces  were  tawny,  but  delicate 
of  profile,  their  forms  exquisitely  molded.  They 
suggested  Japanese  boys.  Then  Ralph  decided 
.hey  more  resembled  lithe  Malay  children  of  whom 
lie  had  seen  phi  >i<  'graphs.  At  all  events,  they  were 
natural  tree  climbers.  They  made  the  most  daring 
leaps  from  frail  branches.  They  sprung  from 
twigs  that  broke  in  their  deft  grasp,  but  not  until 
they  had  secured  the  purchase  they  aimed  at  in 
the  act  to  send  them  flying  through  the  air  to 
some  other  perilous  point  in  view.  Their  feats 
were  fairly  bewildering,  and  as  one  landed  on 
the  ground  like  a  rubber  ball  and  the  other  chased 
him  out  of  sight  in  the  next  yard,  Ralph  conducted 
his  companion  into  the  house  with  these  words  : 

"That's  odd  enough  to  investigate." 

He  did  not  announce  his  arrival  to  his  mother, 
but  led  Fred  up  to  his  room.  As  he  passed  that 
now  occupied  by  the  Foggs,  it  made  his  heart  glad 
to  hear  the  fireman  crowing-  at  the  baby  to  the 
accompaniment  of  a  happy  laugh  from  the  fire- 
man's wife. 

"You  can  wash  up  and  tidy  up,  Porter,"  he  said 
to  his  friend.  "I'll  arrange  for  an  extra  plate, 
and  take  you  down  later  to  meet  the  best  mother 
in  the  world." 

"This  is  an  imposition  on  you  good  people," 
declared  Fred,  but  Ralph  would  not  listen  to  b-'W 


"THE  S1LVAND0S"  133 

He  went  downstairs  and  out  the  front  way,  and 
came  around  the  house  looking  all  about  for  some 
trace  of  the  two  remarkable  creatures  he  had  just 
seen.  They  had  disappeared,  however,  as  if  they 
were  veritable  wood  elves.  Passing  the  kitchen 
window,  the  young  engineer  halted. 

"Hello!"  he  uttered.  "Zeph  Dallas  is  back 
again,"  and  then  he  listened  casually,  for  Zeph 
was  speaking  to  his  mother. 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Fairbanks,"  Ralph  caught  the 
words,  "I'm  the  bad  penny  that  turns  up  regu- 
larly, only  I've  got  some  good  dollars  this  time. 
On  the  mantel  is  the  money  I  owe  Ralph  for  the 
clothes  he  got  me." 

"But  can  you  spare  the  money?"  spoke  Mrs. 
Fairbanks. 

"Sure  I  can,  and  the  back  board,  too,"  declared 
Zeph,  and  glancing  in  through  the  open  window 
Ralph  noted  the  speaker,  his  fingers  in  his  vest 
armholes,  strutting  around  most  grandly. 

"I  can't  understand  how  you  came  to  get  so 
much  money  in  two  days,"  spoke  the  lady.  "You 
couldn't  have  earned  it  in  that  short  space  of  time, 
Zeph." 

"No,  ma'am,"  admitted  Zeph,  "but  I've  got  it, 
haven't  I?  It's  honest  money,  Mrs.  Fairbanks. 
It's  an  advance  on  my  wages — expense  money 
and  such,  don't  you  see?" 


132      ralpii  on  run  overland  express 

"Then  you  have  secured  work,  Zeph  ?" 

"Steady  work,  Mrs.  Fairbanks." 

"What  at,  Zeph?" 

"Mrs.  Fairbanks,"  answered  the  lad  in  a 
hushed,  mysterious  tone  of  voice,  "I  am  hired 
as  a  detective." 

"You're  what?"  fairly  shouted  Ralph  through 
the  window. 

"Hello!  you  here,  are  you?"  cried  Zeph,  and 
in  a  twinkling  he  had  joined  Ralph  outside  the 
house.  "Yes,  sir,"  he  added,  with  an  important 
air  that  somewhat  amused  Ralph,  "I've  landed 
this  time.  On  both  feet.  Heart's  desire  at  last 
■ — I'm  a  detective." 

Ralph  had  to  smile.  He  recalled  the  first  ar- 
rival of  honest  but  blundering  Zeph  Dallas  at 
Stanley  Junction,  a  raw  country  bumpkin.  Even 
then  the  incipient  detective  fever  had  been  mani- 
fested by  the  crude  farmer  boy.  From  the  con- 
fident, self-assured  tone  in  which  Zeph  now  spoke, 
the  young  railroader  was  forced  to  believe  that 
lie  had  struck  something  tangible  at  last  in  his 
favorite  line. 

"What  are  you  detecting,  Zeph?"  he  inquired. 

"That's  a  secret." 

"Indeed — and  what  agency  are  you  working 
for — the  rfovernroent  ?" 

"That,"  observed  Zeph  gravely,  "is  also  a  secret 


"THE  SILVAN  DOS"  133 

—for  the  present.  See  here,  Ralph  Fairbanks, 
you're  guying  me.     You  needn't.     Look  at  that." 

With  great  pride  Zeph  threw  back  his  coat.  It 
was  to  reveal  a  star  pinned  to  his  vest. 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph,  "I  see  it,  but  it  doesn't 
tell  who  you  are." 

"Don't  it  say  'Special'  ?"  demanded  Zeph,  with 
an  offended  air. 

"Yes,  I  see  the  word." 

"Well,  then,  that's  me — special  secret  service, 
see?  Of  course,  I  don't  look  much  like  a  de- 
tective, just  common  and  ordinary  now,  but  I'm 
going  to  buy  a  wig  and  a  false  beard,  and  then 
you'll  see." 

"Oh,  Zeph !"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

"All  right,  you  keep  right  on  laughing  at  me," 
said  Zeph.  "All  the  same,  I'm  hired.  What's 
more,  I'm  paid.  Look  at  that — I've  got  the  job 
and  I've  got  the  goods.  That  shows  something, 
I  fancy,"  and  Zeph  waved  a  really  imposing  roll 
of  bank  notes  before  the  sight  of  the  young  en- 
gineer. 

"Your  employers  must  think  you  a  pretty  good 
man  to  pay  you  in  advance,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"They  do,  for  a  fact,"  declared  Zeph.  "They 
know  they  can  depend  upon  me.  Say,  Ralph,  it's 
funny  the  way  I  fell  into  the  job.  You  never  in 
your  lifr  heard  of  the  slick  and  easy  way  I  seemed 


134   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

to  go  rolling  right  against  it.  And  the  mystery, 
the  deadly  secrets,  the — the — hold  on,  though,  I'm 
violating  the  eth — eth — yes,  ethics  of  the  prcK 
fession." 

"No,  no — go  on  and  tell  us  something  about  it," 
urged  Ralph.     "I'm  interested." 

"Can't.  I've  gone  too  far  already.  Sworn  to 
secrecy.  Honestly,  I'm  not  romancing,  Ralph, 
I'm  working  on  a  case  that  reads  like  a  story  book. 
Some  of  the  strange  things  going  on — they  fairly 
stagger  me.  I  can't  say  another  word  just  now, 
but  just  the  minute  I  can,  you  just  bet  I'll  tell  you 
all  about  it,  Ralph  Fairbanks.  Say,  you  haven't 
seen  two  boys  around  here,  have  you — two  tiny- 
fellows?  I  left  them  in  the  garden  here.  They're 
in  my  charge,  and  I  mustn't  lose  sight  of  them," 
and  Zeph  began  looking  all  around  the  place. 

"Two  human  monkeys,  who  make  no  more  oi 
flying  through  the  air  than  you  or  I  do  to  run  a 
race?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"That's  them,"  assented  Zeph. 

"They  were  here  a  few  minutes  ago,"  advised 
Ralph,  "but  I  don't  see  them  just  now.  I  won- 
dered who  they  were.  The  last  I  saw  of  them, 
they  were  chasing  one  another  over  our  neighbors' 
lot  over  there." 

"I  must  find  them,"  said  Zeph.  "They  are  an* 
other  of  my  responsibilities.     I  hear  them." 


"THE  SILVANDOS"  135 

As  Zeph  spoke,  there  proceeded  from  the  alley 
a  mellow  and  peculiar  but  very  resonant  whistle. 
It  was  followed  by  a  responsive  whistle,  clear  as  a 
calliope  note.  Then  into  view  dashed  the  two 
boys  for  whom  Zeph  was  looking.  They  were 
still  chasing  one  another,  and  the  foremost  of  the 
twain  was  making  for  the  house.  As  he  passed 
a  tree  full  tilt,  without  the  least  apparent  exertion 
he  leaped  up  lightly,  seized  a  branch,  coiled 
around  it  like  a  rubber  band,  and  his  pursuer 
passed  under  him  at  full  speed. 

''This  way,  Kara — hey,  Karo,"  called  out 
Zeph,  and  the  two  strange  lads  came  up  to  him 
with  a  fawn-like  docility,  in  keeping  with  the 
mild,  timid  expression  of  their  faces. 

<lSare,"  spoke  one  of  them  with  a  bow,  and 
his  companion  repeated  the  word.  They  both 
bowed  to  Ralph  next,  and  stood  like  obedient 
children  awaiting  orders.  Ralph  was  silent  for 
fully  a  minute,  studying  their  unfamiliar  make- 
up. At  that  moment  Fred  Porter,  having  come 
down  stairs  the  front  way,  strolled  around  the 
corner  of  the  house. 

''This  is  my  friend,  Fred  Porter — Zeph — - 
Zeph  Dallas,  Porter,"  introduced  the  young 
railroader,  and  the  two  boys  shook  hands.  Porter 
became  instantly  interested  in  the  two  strange 
lads. 


13G       RALPH  OX  ME  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"I'm  going  to  show  you   fellows  something-,' 
.said  Zeph,  "something  mighty  remarkable,  some- 
thing you   never  saw   before,   and   it's  going  to 
beat  anything  you  ever  heard  of.     About  those 
two  boys.     Kara!" 

One  of  the  two  lads  instantly  moved  to  the 
side  of  Zeph,  who  beckoned  to  him  to  follow 
him.  lie  led  the  boy  ten  feet  away  behind  a 
thick  large  bush,  his  back  to  the  others. 

"Ivaro,"  he  spoke  again,  and  the  other  boy 
allowed  him  to  turn  him  around  where  he  stood 
his  back  to  the  other  boy. 

"See  here,  Zeph,"  spoke  Ralph  with  a  broad 
smile,  "are  you  going  to  give  us  a  detective 
demonstration  of  some  kind,  or  a  sleight-of-hand 
demonstration?" 

"Quit  guying  me,  Ralph  Fairbanks,"  said 
Zeph.  "You're  always  at  it,  but  I'm  going  to 
give  you  something  this  time  that  will  make  you 
sit  up  and  take  notice,  I'll  bet.  Those  boys 
came  from  a  good  many  thousand  miles  away — « 
from  the  other  side  of  the  world,  in  fact." 

"They  look  it,"  observed  Fred  Porter. 

"Gomera,"  exclaimed  Zeph. 

"Where's  that  now?"  inquired  Fred. 

"It  is  the  smallest  of  the  Canary  Islands.* 

"Oh,  that's  it!" 


"THE  SILVANDOS"  137 

"And  they  talk  without  saying  a  word,"  was 
Zeph's  next  amazing  announcement. 

"Whew!"  commented  Fred  dubiously. 

"They  do.  It's  that  I'm  going  to  show  you. 
Perhaps  those  boys  are  the  only  two  of  their 
kind  in  the  United  States.     They  are  Silvandos." 

"What  are  Silvandos,  Zeph?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Silvandos,"  replied  Zeph,  with  manifest  en- 
joyment of  the  fact  that  he  was  making  a  new 
and  mystifying  disclosure,  "are  persons  who 
carry  on  a  conversation  through  a  whistling 
language." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ZEPH   DALLAS  AND   HIS   "MYSTERY*' 

"Whistling  language?"  repeated  Fred  Por« 
ter.     "Is  there  one?" 

"Aha!  didn't  I  say  I  was  going  to  show  you 
something  you  nevel  heard  of  before?  You  bet 
there  is  a  whistling1  language!"  chuckled  Zeph— 
"and  I'm  now  about  to  demonstrate  it  to  you. 
You  sec  these  two  buys?  Well,  they  are  natives 
of  Gomera,  the  smallest  of  the  Canary  Islands 
They  were  raised  in  a  district  where  at  times 
there  is  no  living  thing  within  sight,  and  the  vast 
wilderness  in  the  winding  mountains  is  broken 
only  by  the  crimson  flower  of  the  cactus  growing 
in  the  clifts  of  the  rock." 

"You  talk  like  a  literary  showman,  Zeph  Dal- 
las," declared  Fred. 

"Well,  I'm  telling  the  story  as  I  get  it,  ain't 
I?"  demanded  Zeph  in  an  injured  tone  and  with 
a  sharp  look  at  Fred,  as  if  he  suspected  that  he 
was  being  guyed.  "Anyhow,  I  want  to  explain 
things  so  you'll  understand." 
133 


ZEPH  DALLAS  AND  HIS  "MYSTERY"         139 

"Go  right  ahead,  Zeph,"  insisted  Ralph  en- 
couragingly, "we're  interested." 

"Well,  up  among  those  big  stone  terraces  is 
the  whistling  race.  They  are  ahle  tc  converse 
with  one  another  at  a  distance  of  three  miles." 

"That's  pretty  strong,"  observed  Fred-  "But 
make  it  three  miles." 

"A  Silvando  will  signal  a  friend  he  knows  to 
be  in  a  certain  distant  locality.  He  does  it  by 
setting  his  fore  fingers  together  at  a  right  angle 
in  his  mouth,  just  as  you'll  see  these  two  Canaries 
do  in  a  minute  or  two.  An  arrow  of  piercing 
sounds  shoots  across  the  ravine." 

"Arrow  is  good — shoots  is  good!"  whispered 
Fred,  nudging  Ralph. 

"There  is  a  moment's  pause — "  continued 
Zeph. 

"Oh,  he's  read  all  this  in  some  book!"  declared 
Fred. 

"Then  there  comes  a  thin  almost  uncanny 
whistle  from  far  away.  Conversation  begins, 
and  as  the  sounds  rise  and  fall,  are  shrill  or 
drawn,  so  they  are  echoed.  Then  comes  the 
ghostly  reply,  and  then  question  and  answer  fol- 
lows. They  talk — all  right.  Travelers  say  so, 
and  a  lot  of  scientific  fellows  are  now  on  the  track 
of  this  strange  tribe  to  investigate  them  before 
civilization  makes  of  their  talk  a  dead  language 


140   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Kara — ready!"  called  out  Zeph  to  the  boy  at  tin 
bush.      "Karo — attention  !" 

"Sare,"  answered  the  little  fellow,  his  bright 
twinkling  eyes  full  of  intelligence. 

"Ask  him  how  many!"  said  Zeph  " — see?" 
and  he  touched  himself,  the  boy  and  Ralph  and 
Fred  with  his  forefinger  in  turn. 

Out  rang  a  series  of  rising  interrogatory 
sounds.  There  was  a  pause.  Then  from  the 
boy  stationed  at  the  bush  came  quick  responsive 
toots — one,  two,  three,  four. 

"Tell  Kara  to  bring  you  this — see,  this?"  and 
Zeph  stooped  down  and  touched  the  sodded  yard 
with  his  hand.  Karo  whistled  again.  Immedi- 
ately Kara  wheeled,  stooped  also,  and  was  at  their 
side  in  an  instant,  tendering  a  handful  of  grass. 

"Say,  this  is  odd  all  right,"  confessed  Fred 
thoughtfully. 

"Tell  Kara  to  climb  a  tree  next,"  spoke  Zeph. 
More  "whistle  talk,"  and  agile  as  a  monkey  Kara 
was  aloft,  making  dizzying  whirls  among  the 
branches  of  an  oak  nearby.  "I  tell  you,  it  would 
stun  you  to  watch  these  little  fellows  at  play.  It's 
like  a  piccolo  or  a  calliope  to  hear  them  talk — yes, 
sir,  talking  just  as  knowingly  as  we  do." 

"Who  are  they,  anyway?"  spoke  Fred 
uriosly. 

"I've  told  you — Canaries." 


ZEPH  DALLAS  AND  HIS  "MYSTERY"         141 

"Yes,  but  where  did  you  pick  them  up?" 

"That's  a  secret.  You  see,"  responded  Zeph, 
looking  duly  wise  and  mysterious,  "those  boys 
were  imported  to  this  country  by  a  peculiar  old 
man,  who  wanted  servants  around  him  who 
weren't  gabbing  about  his  affairs  and  asking  him 
questions  all  the  time.  Well,  he's  got  them, 
hasn't  he?  I'm  working  for  that  man,  or  rather 
for  a  friend  of  his.  Detective  work,"  continued 
Zeph,  rather  proudly.  "I've  told  Ralph.  These 
two  boys  have  been  shut  up  in  the  house  for  two 
months.  They  just  pined  for  fresh  air,  and 
trees — oh !  trees  are  their  stronghold.  When  I 
started  out  with  them  they  made  for  the  first  tree 
like  birds  for  a  roost.  I  have  taken  them  out  for 
an  airing,  and  I  ran  down  here  to  report  to  Ralph 
how  I  was  getting  on,  and  brought  them  along 
with  me  for  the  novelty  of  the  thing." 

"Do  they  live  near  here?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"No,"  answered  Zeph,  "we  had  to  come  by  rail. 
I  can't  tell  you  where  they  live,  but  it's  on  a 
branch  of  the  Great  Northern.  I've  got  to  get 
back  to-night.  We've  had  our  supper,  Ralph. 
I  just  wanted  to  settle  up  the  bills  I  owed  you. 
I'll  say  good-bye  to  your  mother  and  get  to  the 
depot." 

Zeph  and  his  charges  trooped  to  the  kitchen 
door.     Zeph  spoke  a  few  words  to  Mrs.   Fair- 


142   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

banks.  His  companions  bowed  her  a  polite  and 
graceful  adieu,  and  Ralph  accompanied  their 
former  boarder  to  the  street. 

"See  here,  Ralph,"  said  Zeph  to  the  young 
engineer  in  parting,  "I  don't  want  you  to  think 
I  wouldn't  tell  you  everything." 

"That's  all  right,  Zeph." 

"But  honestly,  I've  solemnly  agreed  not  to 
lisp  a  word  about  what  I  am  really  about  or  the 
people  concerned  in  it." 

"That's  all  right,  too,"  declared  Ralph. 

"I'll  say  this,  though,"  resumed  Zeph:  "I'm 
working  on  a  strange  and  serious  case.  It's  no 
play  or  fooling.  I'm  getting  big  pay.  I  may  do 
a  big  thing  in  the  end,  and  when  I  do,  if  I  do, 
I'm  coming  straight  to  tell  you  all  about  it." 

Ralph  watched  Zeph  and  his  charges  disappear 
down  the  street  with  a  great  deal  of  curiosity  and 
wonderment  in  his  mind.  A  great  many  lively 
and  unusual  incidents  were  coming  to  the  front 
recently,  but  this  one  was  certainly  enough  out 
of  the  ordinary  to  give  him  food  for  profound 
thought. 

Ralph  rejoined  Fred  in  the  garden,  and  took 
him  into  the  house  and  introduced  him  to  his 
mother.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  won  the  heart  of  the 
manly  young  fellow,  as  she  did  the  love  of  all  of 
her  son's  friends. 


ZEPII  DALLAS  AXD  HIS  "MYSTERY"      143 

It  was  a  pleasant,  happy  little  coterie,  that 
which  sat  down  at  the  table  soon  afterwards  to 
enjoy  one  of  Airs.  Fairbanks'  famous  meals. 

"I'm  ashamed!"  declared  Fred,  after  his  sev- 
enth hot  biscuit  with  freshly  churned  butter  that 
made  his  mouth  water,  "but  eating  houses  and 
hotels,  Mrs.  Fairbanks,  make  a  roving,  homeless 
fellow  like  me  desperate,  and  if  a  third  helping 
of  that  exquisite  apple  sauce  isn't  out  of  order, 
I'll  have  another  small  fish.'' 

"I'm  spoiled  for  regular  cooking,  Bessie,"  de- 
clared Fogg  to  his  wife.  "Airs.  Fairbanks  is 
fattening  us  till  we'll  be  of  no  use  at  all." 

"You  are  all  flatterers,"  said  Airs.  Fairbanks 
warningly,  but  with  a  pleased  smile. 

I'll  take  another  piece  of  cake,  ma'am,  pro- 
viding you'll  promise  me  the  little  exercise  of 
helping  you  wash  the  dishes  afterwards,"  spoke 
Fred. 

He  interested  the  widow  with  his  animated, 
interested  talk  as  he  bustled  around  the  kitchen, 
wearing  a  big  apron  while  drying  the  dishes. 
Then  when  this  task  was  completed,  he  and  Ralph 
went  out  to  the  little  summer  house  and  com- 
fortably seated  themselves. 

"Now  then,"  remarked  the  young  railroader 
with  a  pleasant  smile,  "now  for  3-our  confession, 
Fred." 


144       RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"No,  sir,"  objected  his  comrade  vociferously, 
"I've  done  nothing  that's  wrong  to  confess.  It 
will  be  an  explanation." 

"All  right,"  agreed  Ralph,  "open  the  throttle 
and  start  the  train." 

At  that  moment  there  was  an  interruption.  A 
chubby,  undersized  boy  came  swiftly  through  the 
gateway.  He  was  advancing  up  the  steps  of  the 
house  when  Ralph  halted  him. 

"Hi,  there,  Davis!"  he  challenged.  "What's 
wanted  ?" 

"Oh,  you  there,  Fairbanks!"  responded  Ned 
Davis,  \he  red-headed  call  boy  for  the  roundhouse 
of  the  Great  Northern,  familiarly  known  as 
"Torchy."  "Extra  orders  for  you  and  Fogg — ■ 
you're  to  take  out  a  special  to-night." 


CHAPTER  XVII 
ix  widener's  gap 

There  was  always  a  spice  of  novelty  and 
excitement  for  the  young  engineer  in  running  a 
special.  Besides  that,  extra  orders  meant  pay  and 
a  half,  sometimes  double  pay,  with  twenty-four 
hours'  rest  after  it,  if  the  special  run  came  after 
midnight. 

Ralph  arose  from  his  seat  in  the  summer-house, 
telling  Ned  Davis  that  Fogg  and  himself  would 
report  at  the  roundhouse  at  once. 

"You'll  have  to  excuse  me,  Porter,"  he  said  to 
his  guest.  "We'll  have  to  postpone  our  talk  until 
to-morrow." 

"Duty  call,  I  see,"  returned  Fred.  "Well, 
there's  no  urgency,  now  that  I've  found  out  you 
don't  consider  me  some  hideous  impostor  of  the 
old  story  book  kind.  I'll  go  as  far  with  you  as 
i  hotel,  and  tell  you  what  I  have  to  say  after  this 
trip." 

"You'll  camp  right  here  at  the  Fairbanks  cot- 
J45 


146   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

tage  until  I  return,"  peremptorily  declared  Ralph. 
"My  mother  would  be  lonesome  if  there  wasn't  a 
boy  somewhere  about  the  house.  Zeph  is  gone 
and  my  other  friends,  and  you  will  be  good 
company."' 

"I'm  only  too  willing,  if  it's  entirely  agreeable," 
said  Fred,  and  so  it  was  settled. 

Fogg  grumbled  a  good  deal  when  Ralph  told 
him  of  the  extra  call.  He  declared  that  he  had 
just  succeeded  in  teaching  the  baby  to  say  "All 
aboard!"  looked  at  the  sky  and  predicted  the 
biggest  storm  of  the  season,  and  was  cross  gen- 
erally until  he  climbed  aboard  No.  999.  Then 
Ralph  heard  him  talking  to  the  well-groomed 
steel  steed  as  if  it  was  some  pet  racer,  and  he 
anxious  and  glad  to  put  it  through  its  paces. 

"What's  the  run,  Fairbanks?"  asked  the  fire- 
man, as  Ralph  returned  from  tlie  roundhouse 
office. 

"Nothing  very  interesting.  Special  sleeper, 
some  convention  crowd  for  Bridgeport,  came  in 
on  the  north  branch.  We've  got  to  pick  our  way 
on  our  own  schedule." 

"Huh!  thought  it  must  be  a  treasure  train,  or 
the  pay  car  at  the  least !"  snorted  Fogg  contemptu- 
ously, but  thoroughly  good-natured  under  the 
surface. 

When  they  backed  down  to  the  depot  Ralph 


IN  WIDENER'S  GAP  147 

was  handed  his  flimsy  orders.  No.  999  was  given 
standard  special  lights,  with  the  usual  markers  at 
the  rear  of  the  sleeping"  car,  but  no  one  on  plat- 
form charge.  The  coach  had  a  conductor,  but  he 
barely  showed  himself,  and  went  inside,  where 
all  the  curtains  were  drawn  and  passengers  evi- 
dently gone  to  sleep. 

"I  told  you  it  was  going  to  rain,"  spoke  Fogg, 
as  they  cleared  the  limits  and  got  ready  for  a 
spurt.  "All  schedule  cancelled  where  we  can  get 
clear  tracks,  I  suppose?  All  right,  let's  see  what 
999  can  do  on  slippery  rails." 

No.  999  did  famously,  as  she  always  did  undei 
the  guidance  of  the  vigilant  young  engineer. 
Ralph  was  learning  a  good  deal  lately,  and  his 
mind  was  always  strictly  on  the  business  of  the 
moment  when  at  the  throttle.  He  was  learning 
that  there  was  a  science  in  running  a  locomotive  a 
good  deal  deeper  than  merely  operating  throttle, 
brake  and  lever  automatically.  There  was  a  way 
to  conserve  the  steam  energy  and  reserve  wide- 
open  tactics  for  full  pressure  that  he  had  found 
out,  which  enabled  him  to  spurt  when  the  chance 
came,  at  no  cost  of  exhaustion  later.  He  knew 
the  gauges  by  heart,  how  to  utilize  the  exhaust, 
and  worked  something  along  the  line  of  the  new 
superheated  steam  theory. 

The  night  had  set  in  very  dark  and  very  stormy. 


14S        RALPH  O.V  THE  Ol'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

They  had  nothing  to  look  out  for,  however,  on 
the  out  track  except  an  accommodation  that  had 
started  two  hours  previous.  No.  999  had  a  light 
load,  and  she  sped  along  without  a  jar.  The 
wires  took  care  of  her.  By  nine  o'clock  they  were 
twenty  miles  "to  the  good"  on  regular  schedule 
basis. 

After  that  it  was  slower  progress.  The  wind 
had  arisen  to  a  hurricane,  the  rain  came  down  in 
torrents,  and  as  they  passed  Winston  they  began 
to  get  in  among  \he  hills,  where  there  was  a  series 
of  intricate  and  dangerous  curves. 

"It's  nearly  a  waterspout,"  observed  Fogg,  as 
the  rain  swept  against  the  cab  as  if  driven  from  a 
full  pressure  hose,  and  they  could  feel  the  staunch 
locomotive  quiver  as  it  breasted  great  sweeps  of 
the  wind.  "I  don't  like  that,"  he  muttered,  as  a 
great  clump  came  against  the  cab  curtain.  And  he 
and  his  engineer  both  knew  what  it  was  from  past 
experience. 

"One  of  those  young  landslides'?"  spoke  Ralph. 

"The  second  in  a  half-an-hour."  declared  Fogg. 
"It's  clear  mud,  but  sometime  in  one  of  these 
storms  we'll  get  a  big  drop  of  rock,  and  there'll 
be  mischief  afoot." 

Ralph  slowed  as  they  entered  a  long  stretch 
known  as  Widener's  Gap.  It  was  a  pull  up  hill. 
Besides  that,  Widener  was  only  two  miles  ahead, 


IN  WIDENER'S  GAP  149 

and  the  curves  were  so  sharp  and  frequent  that 
they  could  not  catch  the  semaphore  at  any 
distance. 

Both  engineer  and  fireman  were  under  an 
intense  strain,  and  Ralph  kept  a  keen  lookout 
from  his  cab  window.  Fogg  was  doing  the  same. 
Suddenly  he  uttered  a  great  shout.  It  was  echoed 
by  Ralph,  for  there  was  cause  for  excitement. 

"A  tree!"  yelled  Fogg. 

Ralph  set  the  air  and  pulled  the  lever  in  a 
flash.  What  the  gleaming  headlight  of  No.  999 
had  shown,  however,  they  were  upon  in  a  leap. 
They  could  feel  a  grinding  jar,  but  the  pilot  had 
evidently  swept  the  obstacle  aside.  They  could 
hear  the  branches  sweep  the  top  of  the  engine. 
Then  there  came  a  warning  sound. 

Bumpety-bump.-bump-bump !  The  tree,  up- 
rooted from  the  gap  side  by  the  rain  and  the 
wind,  had  descried  half  a  circle,  it  seemed,  when 
shifted  by  the  pilot.  Its  big  end  had  rolled  under 
the  coach.  From  the  feeling  the  young  engineer 
could  guess  what  had  happened. 

''Shut  her  off!"  shouted  Fogg. 

"The  coach  has  jumped  the  track!"  echoed 
Ralph  quickly 

His  heart  was  in  his  mouth  as  he  made  every 
exertion  to  bring  the  locomotive  to  a  quick  stop. 


150   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

No.  999  acted  splendidly,  but  it  was  impossible  to 
slow  down  under  two  hundred  feet. 

"Both  trucks  off — she's  toppling!"  yelled  Fogg, 
with  a  backward  glance. 

Each  instant  Ralph  waited  for  the  crash  that 
would  announce  a  catastrophe.  It  did  not  come. 
The  coach  swayed  and  careened,  pounding  the 
sleepers  set  on  a  sharp  angle  and  tugging  to  part 
the  bumpers.  Ralph  closed  the  throttle  and  took 
a  glance  backwards  for  the  first  time. 

"The  coach  is  safe,  Mr.  Fogg,"  he  spoke. 
"Get  back  and  see  how  badly  the  passengers  are 
mixed  up." 

There's  nothing  coming  behind  us?"  asked  the 
fireman. 

"No,  but  tell  the  conductor  to  set  the  light  back 
as  f''r  as  he  can  run." 

\       -ight." 

"The  Night  Express!"  gasped  Ralph  the  next 
moment,  in  a  hushed  whisper,  as  he  caught  the 
faint  echo  of  a  signal  whistle  ahead  of  them  in 
the  distance. 

An  alarming  thought  came  into  his  mind. 
Nothing  could  menace  them  ahead  on  the  out 
track  and  nothing  was  due  behind,  but  the  coach 
attached  to  No.  999  stood  on  a  tilt  clear  across 
the  in  track. 

Along  those  rails  in  ten  minutes'  time,  unaware 


IN  WIDENER'S  CAP  151 

of  the  obstruction,  the  night  express  would  come 
thundering  clown  the  grade  at  a  forty-mile  clip 
around  the  sharp  curves  of  Widener's  Gap. 

"It's  38.  She's  clue,  entering  Widener," 
Dreathed  Ralph.  "Yes,"  with  a  glance  at  the  cab 
clock,  "and  just  on  time.  Mr.  Fogg,"  he  shouted 
after  his  fireman,  leaping  to  the  ground,  "get  the 
people  out  of  that  coach — 38  is  coming." 

"The  Night  Express,"  cried  Fogg  hoarsely.  "I 
never  thought  of  it." 

Ralph  tore  one  of  the  rear  red  tender  lights 
from  its  place.  He  started  down  the  out  rails  on 
a  dead  run.  His  only  hope  now  was  of  reaching 
the  straight  open  stretch  past  the  last  curve  in 
open  view  of  Widener.  To  set  the  warning  sig- 
nal short  of  that  would  be  of  no  avail.  Xo.  38 
could  not  possibly  see  it  in  time,  coming  at  full 
speed,  to  avoid  a  smash-up. 

In  a  single  minute  the  young  engineer  was 
drenched  to  the  skin.  It  was  all  that  he  could  do 
to  keep  from  being  blown  from  his  footing.  He 
fairly  counted  the  seconds  as  he  shot  forward, 
sprinting  to  the  limit  on  that  slippery,  flooded 
roadbed.  He  could  not  restrain  a  shout  of  relief 
and  hope  as  he  turned  the  last  curve. 

"Widener — 38!"  he  gasped. 

The  station  lamps  were  visible,  a  mile  distant. 
Somewhat  nearer,  a  blur  of  white  radiance  amid 


152   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

the  dashing  rain,  was  the  headlight  of  No.  38 
showing  that  she  was  coming  at  momentarily  in- 
creasing speed.  Ralph  aimed  to  run  nearer  to  the 
air  line  stretch  to  plant  the  signal.  Suddenly  his 
feet  tripped  and  he  went  headlong.  The  breath 
seemed  knocked  out  of  his  body  as  he  landed 
across  the  tics  of  the  brief  trestle  reach,  which  he 
had  forgotten  all  about  in  his  excitement.  The 
lantern,  flung  wide  from  his  grasp,  struck  one  rail, 
smashed  to  pieces,  and  the  lamp  went  out  as  it 
dropped  with  a  flare  into  the  deep  gully  beneath. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

AT  THE  SEMAPHORE 

The  young  engineer  of  No.  ^99  struggled  to 
his  feet  appalled.  The  case  seemed  hopeless.  lie 
had  matches  in  his  pocket.  In  dry  weather  under 
the  same  circumstances  he  might  to  gather  up 
enough  dry  grass  and  brush  to  build  a  fire  between 
the  rails,  but  now,  with  everything  soaked  an^ 
dripping  this  was  impossible. 

"The  semaphore  signal !"  gasped  Ralph.  "Can 
I  reach  it  in  time?" 

He  crossed  the  remainder  of  the  trestle  in  des- 
perate leaps.  Ralph  calculated  the  distance  to  the 
semaphore,  the  distance  of  the  train,  and  his  heart 
failed  him.  Still  he  kept  on.  His  eyes  were  fixed 
on  the  lantern  aloft  showing  open  tracks  for  the 
oncoming  train.  It  was  his  star  of  hope.  Then 
as  he  reached  it  he  saw  that  he  was  too  late. 

To  scale  the  slippery  timber  to  the  staple-run- 
ners without  boot  hooks  would  be  no  easy  task. 
To  get  to  the  first  rung  and  ascend  would  con- 
sume fully  two  minutes'  time. 
153 


154   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

"What  shall  1  do — what  can  I  do?"  panted 
the  young  railroader  in  desperation. 

Just  beyond  the  semaphore  was  a  symmetrical 
heap  of  bleached  blocks  of  rock  comprising  a 
landmark  guide  For  engineers.  Ralph  ran  to  it 
Groping  among  the  gravel  at  its  base,  his  fingers 
frantically  grasped  several  loose  stones.  He 
glanced  once  at  the  glowering  headlight  of  No.  38. 

"li  I  can  make  it — if  I  can  only  make  it!"  he 
voiced,  and  the  aspiration  was  a  kind  of  a  wail. 

The  young  engineer  of  No.  999  had  been  the 
former  leader  of  all  boyish  sports  and  exercises 
in  Stanley  Junction.  Posed  as  he  had  posed  many 
times  in  the  past  when  he  was  firing  at  a  mark, 
with  all  his  skill,  he  calculated  aim.  distance  and 
fling.  The  bull's  eye  target  was  the  lantern  pen 
dant  from  the  arm  of  the  semaphore. 

One — failed!  the  missile  missed  its  intended 
mark. 

Two — a  ringing  yell  of  delight,  of  hope,  of  tri- 
umph rang  from  the  lips  of  the  young  engineer. 
The  skillfully-aimed  projectile  had  struck  the 
glass  of  the  signal,  shivering  it  to  atoms.  The 
wind  and  rain  did  the  rest.     Out  went  the  light. 

A  sharp  whistle  from  Xo.  38,  the  hiss  of  the  air 
brakes,  and  panting  and  exhausted,  the  young 
engineer  of  No.  999  watched  the  Night  Express 


AT  THE  SEMAPHORE  155 

whiz  by  on  a  lessening  run  and  come  to  a  stop 
two  hundred  yards  away. 

Ralph  dashed  after  the  train,  now  halted 
beyond  the  trestle.  He  did  not  heed  the  shout 
of  the  brakeman  already  out  on  the  tracks,  but 
got  up  to  the  locomotive  just  as  the  conductor, 
lantern  in  hand,  reached  it. 

"Hello!"  shot  out  the  engineer  of  No.  38,  star- 
ing at  the  figure  outlined  within  the  halo  of  the 
conductor's  light — "Fairbanks  !" 

''Why,  so  it  is!'  exclaimed  the  conductor,  and 
it  was  easy  for  him  to  discern  from  Ralph's  sud- 
den appearance  and  breathless  manner  that  he  had 
some  interest,  if  not  an  active  part,  in  the  mys- 
terious disappearance  of  the  semaphore  signal. 
"What  is  it,  Fairbanks?'' 

Very  hurriedly  Ralph  explained.  The  engineer 
of  No.  38  uttered  a  low  whistle,  meantimet 
regarding  the  active  young  railroader,  whom  he 
wTell  knew,  with  a  glance  of  decided  admiration. 
Then  as  hurried  were  the  further  movements  of 
the  conductor. 

Within  a  very  few  minutes  a  brakeman  was 
speeding  back  to  Widener  to  inform  the  man  on 
duty  there  of  the  condition  of  affairs.  He 
returned  to  report  the  situation  in  safe  official 
control  all  up  and  down  the  line.  In  the  meantime 
No  38.  had  moved  up  to  the  scene  of  the  wreck. 


156   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

This  was  done  at  the  suggestion  of  Ralph,  who 
did  not  know  how  the  passengers  in  the  special 
coach  might  have  fared.  Arrived  at  the  scene, 
however,  it  was  soon  learned  that  two  men  only 
Tad   been   thrown   from   their  beds   and   sliVhtlv 

o  J 

bruised.  The  rest  of  the  passengers  were  only 
shaken  up. 

The  frightened  passengers  were  huddled  up, 
drenched  to  the  skin,  at  the  side  of  the  gap,  for 
Fog'g  had  insisted  on  their  taking  no  risk  remain- 
ing in  the  derailed  coach. 

"We're  stalled  for  three  hours,'  decided  the, 
engineer  of  No.  38. 

"Yes,  and  more  than  that,  if  the  wrecking  gang 
is  not  at  Virden,  as  we  suppose,"  added  the 
conductor. 

The  passengers  of  the  derailed  coach  were 
taken  to  shelter  in  a  coach  which  backed  to 
Widener.  There  was  nothing  to  do  now  for  the 
engineer  and  fireman  of  No.  999  but  to  await  the 
arrival  of  the  wrecking  crew.  Word  came  finally 
by  messenger  from  the  dispatcher  at  the  station 
that  the  same  was  on  its  way  to  the  Gap.  Inside 
of  two  hours  the  coach  was  back  on  the  rails,  and 
No.  999  moved  ahead,  took  on  transferred  passen- 
gers from  No.  38,  and  renewed  the  run  to  Bridge- 
port on  a  make-time  schedule. 

There  had  been  a  good  many  compliments  for 


AT  THE  SEMAPHORE  157 

the  young  engineer  from  the  crew  of  No.  38.  The 
conductor  had  expressed  some  gratifying  expres- 
sions of  appreciation  from  the  passengers  who 
had  heard  of  Ralph's  thrilling  feat  at  the  sema- 
phore. The  conductor  of  the  special  coach 
attached  to  Xo.  999  had  come  up  and  shook  hands 
with  Ralph,  a  choking  hoarseness  in  his  throat  as 
he  remarked :  "It's  a  honor  to  railroad  with  such 
fellows  as  you."  Fogg  had  said  little.  Therr 
were  many  grim  realities  in  railroading  he  knew 
well  from  experience.  This  was  only  one  cf 
them.  After  they  started  from  Widener  he  ha<J 
given  his  engineer  a  hearty  slap  of  the  shoulder, 
and  with  shining  eyes  made  the  remark: 

"This  is  another  boost  for  you,  Fairbanks." 

"For  No.  999,  you  mean,"  smiled  Ralph  sig- 
nificantly.    "We'll  hope  so,  anyway,  Mr.  Fogg." 

Wet,  grimed,  cinder-eyed,  but  supremely  satis- 
fied, they  pulled  into  Bridgeport  with  a  good  rec- 
ord, considering  the  delay  at  the  Gap.  The  con- 
ductor of  the  special  coach  laid  off"  there.  No.  999 
was  to  get  back  to  Stanley  Junction  as  best  she 
could  and  as  quickly.  As  she  cut  loose  from  the 
coach  its  conductor  came  up  with  an  envelope. 

"My  passengers  made  up  a  little  donation,  Fair- 
banks," the  man  said.  "There's  a  newspaper  man 
among  them.  He's  correspondent  for  some  daily 
press  association.      Been  writing  up  'the  heroic 


158   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

dash — brave  youth  at  the  trestle — forlorn  hope  of 
an  unerring  marksman' — and  all  that." 

"Oh,  he's  not  writing  for  a  newspaper," 
laughed  Ralph  ;  "he's  making  Lip  a  melodrama." 

"Well,  he'll  make  you  famous,  just  the  same, 
and  here's  some  government  photographs  for  you 
lucky  fellows,"  added  the  conductor,  tossing  the 
envelope  in  his  hand  into  the  cab. 

Fogg  grinned  over  his  share  of  the  fifty-dollar 
donation  and  accepted  it  as  a  matter  of  course. 
Ralph  said  nothing,  hut  he  was  somewhat 
affected.  He  was  pleased  at  the  recognition  of 
his  earnest  services.  At  the  same  time  the  exploit 
of  .'he  night  had  shaken  his  nerves  naturally,  and 
reminded  him  of  all  the  perils  that  accompanied 
a  practical  railroad  career.  A  stern  sense  of 
responsibility  made  him  thoughtful  and  grave, 
and  he  had  in  mind  many  a  brave,  loyal  fellow 
whose  fame  had  been  unheralded  and  unsung, 
who  had  stuck  to  his  post  in  time  of  danger  and 
had  given  up  his  life  to  save  others. 

No.  999  was  back  at  Stanley  Junction  by  eight 
o'clock  the  next  morning.  When  Ralph  reached 
home  he  was  so  tired  out  lie  did  not  even  wait  for 
breakfast,  but  went  straightway  to  his  bed. 

He  came  down  the  stairs  in  the  morning  bright 
as  a  dollar,  to  hear  his  mother  humming  a  happy 
song  in  the  dining-room,  and  Fred  Porter  softly 


AT  THE  SEMAPHORE  159 

accompanying  with  a  low-toned  whistle  on  the 
veranda.  The  latter,  waving  a  newspaper  in  his 
hand,  made  a  dash  for  Ralph. 

"Look!"  he  exclaimed,  pointing  to  some  sensa- 
tional headlines.  "They've  got  you  in  print  with 
a  vengeance.  A  whole  column  about  'the  last 
heroic  exploit  of  our  expert  young  railroader  and 
rising  townsman — Engineer  Fairbanks.'  ' 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  BOY  WHO  WAS  IIAZKD 

"WELL,  Porter,  proceed." 

Ralph  gave  the  direction.  lie  and  Fred  were 
seated  in  the  garden  summer-house,  settled  com- 
fortably on  benches  facing  each  other  across  a 
rustic  table,  after  a  good  breakfast,  a  general  rest- 
ful feeling  permeating  them. 

"All  right,"  assented  Fred.  "Before  I  begin, 
though,  I  wish  to  make  a  remark.  The  way  your 
mother  and  yourself  have  treated  me  has  been  just 
royal — I'll  never  forget  it!" 

"And  never  forget  us,"  directed  the  young 
engineer  with  a  warm,  friendly  smile.  "You'll 
always  find  yourself  welcome  in  this  house." 

"That's  what  gets  me,"  said  Fred,  and  there 
was  a  slight  tremor  and  a  suspicion  of  tears  in  his 
voice.  "Most  fellows  would  have  little  to  do  with 
an  impostor,  eh?" 

"That's  a  pretty  hard  word,  Porter,"  intimated 
Ralph.     "Just  the  same,  I  believe  in  you.     I  have 
had  confidence  in  you  all  along." 
160 


THE  BOY  WHO  WAS  HAZED  Id 

"And  my  story  won't  disturb  it  any,"  declared 
Fred.  "Well,  to  begin — my  name  is  not  Marvin 
Clark." 

"Of  course,  I  know  that  already." 

"It  is  Fred  Porter." 

"So  you  have  told  me." 

"I  am  an  orphan,  homeless.  As  I  said  when 
I  first  came  here,  I  have  been  a  sort  of  a  knock- 
about, a  wanderer.  I  have  been  a  poor  boy.  The 
real  Marvin  Clark,  whose  father  is  the  real  and 
genuine  president  of  the  Middletown  &  Western 
Railroad,  is  a  rich  boy.  I  have  saved  his  life 
when  he  was  drowning.  He  likes  me  for  that, 
and  there  isn't  much  that  he  wouldn't  do  for  me." 

"You  deserve  it,"  said  Ralph. 

"Well,  to  make  a  long  story  short,  he  was  a 
student  at  the  Earlville  Academy.  He's  a  fine, 
manly  fellow,  nothing  sneaking  or  mean  about 
him.  One  night,  though,  he  and  his  school  chums 
got  to  cutting  up.  They  raided  the  town  and  had 
a  dozen  fights  with  the  village  boys.  One  of  them 
was  taken  prisoner,  a  lad  named  Ernest  Gregg. 
The  academy  fellows  decided  to  haze  him.  They 
put  him  through  an  awful  course  of  sprouts. 
They  ducked  him  in  the  river,  scared  him  with 
mock  gunpowder  explosions,  and  wound  up  by 
tying  him  blindfolded  to  a  switch  near  a  railroad 
track.     They  left  him  there  all  night.    The  result 


1G2   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

was  that  when  little  Ernest  was  discovered  the 
next  morning,  he  was  in  a  high  fever  and 
delirious. 

"Too  bad,"  murmured  Ralph.  "I  don't  think 
much  of  your  Marvin  Clark." 

"Hold  on,  don't  misjudge  him.  He  helped  to 
capture  the  enemy,  as  they  called  poor  little 
Gregg,  hut  he  left  the  crowd  right  after  that,  sup- 
posing his  chums  would  scare  their  captive  a  bit 
and  let  him  go.  Clark  had  no  hand  whatever  in 
the  downright  persecution  that  sent  the  hoy  to 
the  hospital.  It  seems  that  some  of  the  gunpow- 
der got  into  the  eyes  of  the  little  fellow,  and  the 
douse  in  the  river  had  given  him  a  cold.  The 
^care  he  got  had  nearly  driven  him  out  of  his  right 
mind,  for  he  was  a  timid  little  fellow.  A  month 
later  Ernest  was  discharged  from  the  hospital 
nearly  blind,  thin,  pale  and  weakly,  a  mere 
shadow  of  his  former  self." 

"Of  course  the  academy  fellows  tried  to  make 
tip  for  all  that,"  suggested  Ralph. 

"They  didn't.  Vacation  came  on,  and  they  hied 
to  their  homes  with  not  a  thought  of  the  great 
sorrow  they  had  brought  on  their  innocent  victim. 
They  say  that  Clark  was  just  furious  when  he 
heard  of  it  all.  He  laid  out  two  of  the  ringleaders 
and  shamed  them  in  public.  He  sought  out 
Ernest  and  took  him  to  the  best  hotel  in  town. 


THE  BOY  WHO  WAS  HAZED  103 

He  hired  doctors,  and  loaded  the  little  fellow  with 
comforts  and  luxuries." 

"It  must  have  cost  him  something,"  remarked 
Ralph. 

"What  did  Clark  care  for  that?  His  father 
was  rich  and  gave  him  all  the  money  he  wanted. 
He  had  an  account  at  a  bank,  and  was  heir  to 
two  aunts  who  doated  on  him  and  who  were  fabu- 
lously rich.  I  never  saw  a  fellow  take  to  heart 
the  misfortunes  of  a  poor  little  stranger  as  Clark 
did.  The  incident  seemed  to  have  changed  his 
whole  life.  He  sobered  down  wonderfully.  He 
blamed  himself  for  the  whole  thing,  and  took  the 
whole  responsibilities  upon  himself.  Nearly  all 
the  time  he  was  with  Ernest,  trying  to  cheer  him 
up,  hoping  to  find  some  way  to  make  him  well  and 
strong  and  happy  again." 

"A  roval  good  fellow,  in  fact,  just  as  you  said 
— I  see  that." 

''Yes,  sir,"  declared  Fred  staunchly.  "Well,  to 
continue :  Clark's  father  and  family  were  going 
to  Europe.  They  had  arranged  for  young  Clark 
to  go  with  them,  but  he  wouldn't.  Then  there  was 
a  family  council.  Clark  had  not  made  much  prog- 
ress at  school.  He  was  fine  at  football,  but  no 
good  at  arithmetic.  In  fact,  he  was  a  disappoint- 
ment to  his  father  as  a  student.  The  old  man,  the 
academy  professor,  and  the  family  lawyer,  held  a 


IG-i   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

great  consultation.  Old  man  Clark  came  to  a 
stern  decision.  It  was  planned  out  that  young 
Clark  should  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father 
and  become  a  railroader.  A  regular  arrangement 
was  made.  Clark  was  to  have  free  passes  every- 
where. He  was  to  spend  his  entire  vacation  trav- 
eling over  different  railroad  systems,  while  his 
folks  were  in  Europe.  Twice  a  week  he  was  to 
send  to  the  family  lawyer  reports  of  his  progress, 
accompanied  by  vouchers  showing  that  lie  had  not 
wasted  the  time." 

"I  see,"  nodded  Ralph ;  "also  where  you  come 
in. 

"Yes,  that's  easy  to  guess,"  said  Fred.  "Just 
at  that  time  I  happened  to  be  on  a  flying  visit  to 
Earlville,  where  one  day  I  met  Clark.  He  took 
me  to  the  hotel,  where  I  met  Ernest.  I  had 
known  young  Gregg  before,  for  he  had  come  to 
Earlville  a  ragged,  homeless  lad  before  I  first 
ieft,  seeming  to  have  no  home  or  relatives,  and 
going  to  work  at  odd  jobs  around  the  town.  Clark 
told  me  of  the  fix  he  was  in.  "While  we  were  talk- 
ing, a  sudden  idea  came  to  him.  He  became  very 
much  excited  and  serious,  and  then  made  a  very 
strange  request  of  me." 

"To  assume  his  identity  and  go  railroading  in 
his  stead?"  inquired  Ralph,  anticipating  what  was 
coming. 


THE  BOY  WHO  WAS  HAZED  165 

"You've  struck  it,"  assented  Fred;  "just  that." 

"And  you  accepted?" 

"And  that  is  why  you  see  me  here,"  said  Fred. 
"Don't  think  any  the  less  of  me,  Fairbanks,  for 
doing  it.  Don't  find  fault  with  me  if  I  took  up 
the  imposture  for  all  there  was  in  it.  It's  my  way 
— when  I  go  at  a  thing,  I  do  so  with  all  my — 
nerves.  I  was  Marvin  Clark  to  the  core.  I  took 
up  his  name,  I  played  his  part,  and  say,  I  tried 
"not  to  disgrace  his  good  name  by  one  unmanly  act. 
He  taught  me  to  imitate  his  handwriting  perfectly 
one  day.  The  next  I  was  on  the  road,  without  a 
mishap  until  I  met  you." 

"Which  may  not  be  a  mishap  after  all,"  sug- 
gested the  young  engineer. 

"I  think  as  you  do  about  that.  I've  come  to 
you  for  advice,  and  I  feel  sure  that  it  will  be  good 
advice.  Now,  then,  to  get  to  central  motive  of 
Clark's  plan — a  noble,  grand  act,  a  royal  deed. 
It  was  all  for  the  sake  of  his  little  charge,  Ernest 
Gregg." 

"I  can  imagine  that,"  said  Ralph. 

"Clark  could  not  get  the  little  fellow  out  of  his 
mind.  He  had  got,  it  seemed,  a  clew  to  some  of 
his  relatives.  He  told  me  that  only  for  a  wicked 
enemy,  and  if  he  had  his  rights,  Ernest  would  be 
in  a  position  of  positive  wealth.  He  said  that  he 
was  determined  to  find  a  certain  old  man  who 


1GC        RALl'II  OX  THE  Ol'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

could  clear  up  the  whole  situation.  He  was  going 
to  start  out  with  Ernest  to  solve  the  secret  of  his 
strange  life,  while  his  friends  supposed  that  he 
wits  following  out  the  plan  that  his  father  had  ar- 
ranged. Clark  made  a  plan  how  we  were  to  keep 
track  of  one  another,  writing  to  certain  points 
we  agreed  upon.  I  started  out  from  Earlville  on 
my  part  of  the  arrangement,  while  Clark  stole  out 
of  town  with  his  young  charge.  For  three  weeks 
I  wrote  regularly  to  him  and  he  replied.  During 
the  last  month  I  have  not  received  a  word  from 
him,  and  some  of  my  letters  have  come  back  to 
me." 

"Then  you  are  worried  about  him?"  inquired 
Ralph. 

"I  am,  very  much.  You  see,  he  spoke  of  an 
enemy  of  Ernest.  How  do  I  know  what  may 
have  happened  to  both  of  them?  If  Clark  should 
disappear,  see  what  a  fix  I  am  in,  assuming  his 
name,  spending  his  money.  I'd  have  a  hard  time 
explaining  reasonably  the  wild,  mad  move  Clark 
made  me  take." 

"It  is  certainly  a  singular  situation,"  admitted 
the  young  railroader  thought  full)-. 

"Isn't  it,  now?  I've  come  to  you  to  have  you 
help  me  solve  the  problem.  Think  it  over,  give 
me  some  advice.  Or.  one  thing — you  go  to  many 
places  with  your  railroading.      You  might  keep 


THE  BOY  WHO  WAS  HAZED  167 

a  watch  out  for  Clark,  just  as  I  am  doing.  You 
might  get  a  clew  to  him  or  run  across  him." 

"But  how  should  I  know  him?'  inquired  Ralph. 

"I'm  going  to  give  you  his  picture." 

"That  will  help." 

Fred  drew  out  a  memorandum  book  and 
selected  from  it  a  small  photograph,  which  he  pre- 
sented to  Ralph.  The  latter  saw  a  bright,  manly 
face  portrayed  in  the  picture. 

"You  keep  that,"  directed  Fred. 

Ralph  reflected  for  a  few  moments.  Then  they 
discussed  the  situation  in  all  its  bearings.  There 
was  not  much  to  suggest,  however,  on  the  part 
of  the  young  engineer.  The  most  they  could  hope 
for.  he  told  Fred,  was  that  one  or  the  other  of 
them  might  by  some  circumstance  run  across  the 
missing  Clark  and  his  young  charge. 

"I've  got  an  idea  that  I  ought  to  run  down  a 
branch  line  of  the  road  I  have  never  been  over," 
suggested  Fred,  at  the  close  of  their  animated  col- 
loquy. "If  I  do,  I'll  have  to  catch  a  train  in  an 
hour.  I'll  get  word  to  you  soon  again,  and  if  you 
hear  of  anything  that  interests  me,  I'll  arrange 
so  that  a  letter  or  a  wire  will  reach  me  if  you 
address  it  to  Marvin  Clark,  Lake  Hotel, 
YVellsville." 

"All  right,"  agreed  Ralph. 

They  strolled  together  down  to  the  depot  a  lit- 


1G8        RALPH  ON  THE  OJ'ERLAXD  EXPRESS     ■ 

tie  after  that.  A  train  from  the  west  came  in  just 
as  the  one  having  Fred  for  a  passenger  steamed 
out.  A  familiar  figure  alighted  from  one  of  the 
coaches. 

"Here  I  am  again."  announced  Zeph  Dallas, 
coming  up  to  Ralph. 

"How  are  your  little  friends,  the  Canaries?" 
inquired  the  young  engineer. 

"Safe  and  snug  at  home,"  replied  Zeph. 
"Going  up  to  the  house?" 

"Yes,  just  come  in  from  a  special  trip,  and  I 
probably  have  a  lay-over  till  to-morrow.  I  want 
to  call  and  see  a  friend  at  the  hotel  for  a  few 
moments.    Then  I'm  at  your  service." 

When  they  reached  the  hotel,  Ralph  sought  out 
Archie  Graham,  to  find  the  young  inventor  in  his 
room,  engrossed  in  putting  together  some  kind  of 
a  mechanical  model.  The  latter  greeted  Ralph 
with  effusion. 

"I'm  having  the  prime  chance  of  my  life," 
declared  Archie.  "That  note  of  yours  was  the 
open  sesame  to  the  roundhouse  and  everything 
about  it.  The  foreman  made  me  as  welcome  as 
a  friend.  I  say,  Fairbanks,  they  think  a  lot  of 
you,  these  railroad  chums  of  yours." 

"Do  they?"  asked  Ralph,  with  a  modest  smile. 
"I'm  glad  they  do." 

"I'll  show  you  results  in  a  few  days,"  declared 


THE  BOY  WHO  WAS  HAZED  Igg 

Archie,  with  a  show  of  more  enthusiasm  than 
Ralph  had  ever  before  seen  him  exhibit.  "I've 
got  up  an  invention  that  will  just  about  revolu- 
tionize engineering." 

''You  don't  say  so!" 

"Yes,  I  do.  Only  a  day  or  two,  and  I'm  going 
to  try  it — you'll  hear  about  it,  all  right." 

Ralph  did,  in  fact,  hear  about  it  in  a  very  sensa- 
tional way,  and  wthin  a  few  hours  after  the 
interview. 

He  rejoined  Zeph  and  they  proceeded  home- 
Avards.  Zeph  was  just  as  mysterious  as  ever 
about  his  new  employment.  Ralph  knew  that  he 
was  bubbling  over  from  a  pent-up  lot  of  secrecy, 
but  he  did  not  encourage  his  quaint  friend  to  vio- 
late an  evident  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his 
employer. 

Zeph  announced  that  he  would  like  to  stay  over 
at  the  Fairbanks  home  until  the  next  day,  and  was 
made  duly  welcome.  lie  amazed  and  amused 
Ralph  by  showing  him  his  "detective  outfit,"  as 
he  called  it.  It  was  an  incongruous  mass,  stored 
away  in  a  flat  leather  case  that  he  secreted  in  a 
great  pocket  made  inside  his  coat — a  wig,  false 
whiskers,  a  pair  of  goggles,  and  a  lot  of  other 
"secret  service"  paraphernalia,  suggested  to  Zeph 
by  reading  some  cheap  and  sensational  detective 
stories. 


170   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Well,  I've  got  to  get  on  the  shadowy  trail 
to-day,"  yawned  Zeph,  as  he  got  out  of  bed  the 
next  morning. 

"Where's  the  shadow,  Zeph?"  asked  Ralph 
humorously. 

"Let  you  know  when  I  find  my  quarry." 

"Ha,  had  as  that?"  laughed  Ralph. 

"Oh,  you  can  smile,  Ralph  Fairbanks,''  said 
Zeph  resentfully.  "I  tell  you,  I'm  on  a  mighty 
important  case  and  —  say,  where  did  you  get 
that?" 

"What?" 

"That  picture!"  exclaimed  Zeph,  picking  up 
from  the  bureau  the  photograph  of  Marvin  Clark 
given  to  the  young  engineer  by  Fred  Porter  the 
day  previous. 

"Oh,  that  picture?"  said  Ralph.  "A  friend  of 
mine  gave  it  to  me.  He's  trying  to  find  its  orig- 
inal, and  hoped  I  could  help  him." 

"Trying  to  find  him?"  repeated  Zeph  with  big 
staring  eyes.     "Whew!  I  can  do  that  for  you." 

"You  can?"  demanded  Ralph. 

"I  should  say  so !" 

"Do  you  know  the  original  of  that  picture 
then?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Sure  I  do — why,  he's  the  person  who  hired 
me  to  be  a  detective,"  was  Zeph's  remarkable 
reply. 


CHAPTER  XX 

"LORD  LIONEL  MONTAGUE" 

"You  can't  get  on  here !" 

"But  I've  got  a  pans,  don't  you  know." 

"Paws?  Yes,  I  see,"  said  Lemuel  Fogg 
"Take  'em  off  the  tender,  son,  or  you'll  get  a  jerk 
that  will  land  you,  for  we're  going  to  start  up 
pretty  soon." 

"Hawdly — I  have  a  right  here,  my  man — I've 
got  a  pans,  don't  you  know." 

"See  here,  my  friend,  if  you  are  bound  for 
Hadley,  this  isn't  the  train." 

"I  didn't  say  Hadley,  sir,  I  said  'hawdly.'  " 

"He  means  hardly,  Mr.  Fogg,"  put  in  Ralph, 
"and  he  is  trying  to  tell  you  he  has  a  pass." 

"Why  don't  he  talk  English,  then?"  demanded 
the  fireman  of  No.  999  contemptuously,  while  the 
person  who  had  aroused  his  dislike  looked  indig- 
nant and  affronted,  and  now,  extending  a  card  to 
Ralph,  climbed  up  into  the  tender. 

He  was  a  stranger  to  the  engineer — a  man 
Ralph  could  not  remember  having  seen  before. 
171 


172   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

His  attire  was  that  of  a  conventional  tourist,  and 
his  face,  words  and  hearing  suggested  the  conven- 
tional foreigner.  He  wore  a  short,  stubby  hlack 
mustache  and  side  whiskers,  a  monocle  in  one 
eye,  and  he  had  a  vacuous  expression  on  his  face 
as  of  a  person  of  immense  profundity  and  "class." 

Ralph,  glancing  over  the  card,  saw  that  it  was  a 
pass  from  the  master  mechanic  of  the  road,  briefly 
explaining  that  the  bearer  was  Lord  Lionel  Mon. 
tague,  studying  up  American  railroad  systems. 

"We  can't  offer  you  a  seat,  Lord  Montague," 
spoke  Ralph  politely.  "It's  rough  work  in 
cramped  quarters  aL  ;ard  a  locomotive." 

"I  have  noticed  it,"  replied  "his  ludship."  "Nol 
so  abroad,  by  no  means,  my  man.  In  fact,  on  the 
home  lines  in  Lunnon.  it  is  quite  the  thing,  you 
know,  for  the  quality  to  make  a  fad  of  locomotive 
parties,  and  the  accommodations  for  their  com- 
fort are  quite  superior  to  this,  don't  you  know." 

"That  so?"  growled  Fogg,  with  an  unpleasant 
glance  at  the  stranger.  "Why,  I've  had  Senators 
in  my  cab  in  my  time,  glad  to  chum  with  the  crew 
and  set  back  on  the  coal,  jolly  and  homelike  as 
could  be — as  you'll  have  to  do,  if  you  stay  on  this 
engine." 

"Remawkably  detestable  person!"  observed  the 
stranger  confidentially  to  Ralph.  "I  shall  ride 
only  a  short  distance — to  the  first  stop,  in  fact." 


"LORD  LIONEL  MONTAGUE"  173 

"You  are  welcome,"  replied  Ralph,  "and  if  I 
can  explain  anything  to  you,  I  am  at  your 
service." 

"Thawnks,  thawnks,"  uttered  the  pretentious 
passenger,  and  fixed  his  monocled  eye  on  space 
in  a  vapid  way. 

No.  999  was  on  schedule  for  the  old  accommo- 
dation run  to  Riverton.  It  was  nearly  a  week 
after  the  interview  hetween  the  young  engineer 
and  Fred  Porter  recited  in  the  last  chapter. 
Affairs  had  quited  down  with  Ralph,  and  rail- 
road life  had  settled  down  to  ordinary  routine 
of  the  usual  commonplace  character. 

There  had  at  first  been  considerable  interest  for 
Ralph  in  the  remarkable  statement  of  Zeph  Dallas 
that  the  original  of  the  photograph  of  Marvin 
Clark,  the  son  of  the  railroad  president,  was  his 
mysterious  employer.  Further  than  that  involun- 
tary admission  of  his  erratic  friend,  however, 
Ralph  could  not  persuade  Zeph  to  go.  Zelp 
declared  that  he  was  bound  by  a  compact  of  the 
greatest  secrecy.  He  insisted  that  there  could  be 
no  possibility  of  a  mistake  in  his  recognition  of 
the  picture. 

Ralph  told  him  that  a  friend  was  very  anxious 
to  find  his  employer,  and  told  Zeph  who  his  friend 
was.     The  latter  became  serious,  and  acted  quite 


174   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

disturbed  when  he  learned  that  it  was  Fred  Por- 
ter, whom  he  had  met  several  times. 

"I'd  like  to  tell  you  a  whole  lot,  Ralph,  but  I 
can't  do  it !"  Zeph  had  burst  out.  "Say,  one  thing, 
though  ;  I'm  going  to  tell  my  employer  about  Fred 
Porter  being  so  anxious  to  see  him,  and  you  can 
write  to  Porter  and  tell  him  that  his  friend  is  all 
right  and  safe,  if  you  want  to.  What's  that 
address — I  may  get  around  to  Porter  myself." 

Ralph  told  Zeph.  That  same  evening  the  lat- 
ter left  Stanley  Junction,  and  Ralph  had  not  heard 
from  him  since,  nor  did  he  receive  word  from 
Fred.  Temporarily,  at  least,  Zeph,  Fred  and  the 
railroad  president's  son,  Marvin  Clark,  the 
"Canaries"  and  all  the  peculiar  mystery  surround- 
ing them,  seemed  to  have  drifted  out  of  the  life 
of  the  young  engineer. 

No.  999  was  about  ready  to  start  on  her  daily 
trip  when  the  stranger  designated  as  Lord  Mon- 
tague had  appeared.  As  he  stood  against  the  ten- 
der bar  and  seemed  to  commune  with  himself  on 
the  crudity  of  American  locomotive  cabs,  Ralph 
leaned  from  the  window  and  hailed  a  friend. 

"I  say,  Graham,"  he  observed,  "you  seem  par- 
ticularly active  and  restless  this  morning.' 

Ralph  had  reason  for  the  remark.  The  young 
inventor  had  been  very  little  care  to  his  sponsor 
and    friend   during  the   past   week.      Given   free 


"LORD  LIONEL  MONTAGUE"  175 

access  to  the  roundhouse,  Archie  had  just  about 
lived  there.  Quiet  and  inoffensive,  he  at  first  had 
been  a  butt  for  the  jokes  of  the  wipers  and  the 
extras,   but  his   good-natured   patience   disarmed 

those  who  harmlessly  made  fun  of  him,  and  those 
who  maliciously  persecuted  him  had  one  warning 
from  his  sledge-hammer  fists,  and  left  him  alone 
afterwards. 

On  this  especial  morning  Archie  was  stirred 
with  an  unusual  animation.  Ralph  noticed  this 
when  he  first  came  down  tc  the  roundhouse.  The 
young  inventor  hung  around  the  locomotive  sus- 
piciously. He  even  rode  on  the  pilot  of  Xo.  999 
to  the  depot,  and  for  the  past  five  minutes  he  had 
paced  restlessly  up  and  down  the  platform  as 
though  the  locomotive  held  some  peculiar  fasci- 
nation for  him.  As  he  now  came  up  to  the  cab 
at  Ralph's  hail,  his  eye  ran  over  the  locomotive 
in  the  most  interested  way  in  the  world,  and  Ralph 
wondered  why. 

''Call  me,  Fairbanks?"  mumbled  Archie,  and 
Ralph  could  not  catch  his  eye. 

"I  did,  Graham,"  responded  Ralph.  "What's 
stirring  you?" 

"Why?" 

"Chasing  up  999." 
"Am  I?" 


17G   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"It  looks  that  way  ;  it  looks  to  me  as  if  you  were 
watching  the  locomotive." 

"She's  worth  watching,  isn't  she?'' 

"Yes,  but  you  act  as  if  you  expect  her  to  do 
something." 

"Ila!  ha! — that's  it,  h'm — you  see — say,  wish 
I  could  run  down  the  line  with  you  this  morning." 

"We're  crowded  in  the  cab,  as  you  see," 
explained  Ralph,  "but  if  you  want  the  discomfort 
of  balancing  on  the  tank  cover  back  there " 

"I'd  dote  on  it — thanks,  thanks,"  said  Archie 
with  a  fervor  that  increased  Ralph's  curiosity  as 
to  his  strange  actions  this  particular  morning. 

"Got  some  new  bee  in  his  head?"  suggested 
Fogg,  as  Archie  scrambled  up  over  the  coal. 
"He'll  have  a  new  kind  of  locomotive  built  by  the 
time  we  clear  the  limits — that  is,  in  his  mind." 

Lord  Lionel  Montague  warmed  up  to  Ralph  the 
next  few  minutes  before  starting  time.  He  asked 
a  few  casual  questions  about  the  mechanisms  of 
No.  999,  and  then  seemed  tremendously  interested 
in  the  young  engineer  himself. 

"I've  taken  a  fawncy  to  you,  Air.  Fairbanks, 
don't  you  know,"  he  drawled  out.  "I'd  like  to 
cultivate  you,  quite.  I  must  call  on  you  at  Stan- 
ley Junction.  There's  a  great  deal  you  might  tell 
me  of  interest,  don't  vou  see." 


"LORD  LIONEL  MONTAGUE"  177 

"I  shall  be  happy  to  be  of  service  to  you,  Lord 
Montague,"  responded  Ralph  courteously. 

He  did  not  like  the  man.  There  was  something 
untrue  about  his  shifty  eye.  There  was  a  lot  of 
"put  on"  that  did  not  strike  Ralph  as  natural. 
"His  ludship"  harped  on  the  youth  of  Ralph. 
Only  veterans  were  intrusted  with  important  rail- 
road positions  in  England — "didn't  he  know." 
He  was  asking  many  questions  about  Ralph's 
juvenile  friends,  as  if  with  some  secret  purpose, 
when  the  train  started  up. 

"Hi,  up  there!"  Fogg  challenged  Archie,  seated 
on  the  tank  tender  top,  "don't  get  moving  up  there 
and  tumble  off." 

The  young  inventor  certainly  looked  as  if  he 
was  moving.  His  eyes  were  glued  to  the  smoke- 
stack of  the  locomotive,  as  though  it  possessed  a 
fascinating  influence  over  him. 

"Say,  there's  some  draft  this  morning," 
observed  the  fireman,  half-way  to  the  crossing,  as 
he  threw  some  coal  into  the  furnace. 

"I  should  say  so,"  replied  Ralph;  "some  sparks, 
too,  I  notice." 

"Humph !  that  new  patent  spark  arrester  don't 
arrest  particularly,"  commented  Fogg.  "Outer," 
he  added,  with  a  speculative  eye  on  the  smoke- 
stack. 

That  appendage  of  No.  999  was  shooting  out 


178   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

showers  of  sparks  like  a  roman  candle.  As  she 
slid  the  splits  at  the  crossing  and  got  down  to  real 
business,  the  display  was  very  noticeable. 

"I'd  say  that  some  of  our  old  time  enemies  were 
doctoring  the  fuel,  if  it  wasn't  that  the  crowd  is 
off  the  job  after  that  last  drubbing  I  gave  Hall 
and  Wilson,"  remarked  the  fireman.  "I  can't 
understand  it.  That  draft  is  pulling  the  coal  up 
through    the   flues    fast   as    I    can   shovel    it    in. 

Thunder!" 

< 

With  a  yell  the  fireman  of  No.  999,  as  he 
opened  the  furnace  door  to  throw  in  more  coal, 
leaped  to  one  side. 

A  cyclonic  stream,  like  the  sudden  blast  of  a 
volcano,  poured  out  into  the  cab. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
archie  Graham's  invention 

Th*,  cab  was  suddenly  filled  with  smoke,  ashea 
and  steam.  Something  unusual  had  happened 
Unable  to  determine  it  all  in  a  minute,  Ralph 
pulled  the  lever  and  set  the  air  brakes. 

Mingled  with  the  jar  and  the  hiss  of  steam  there 
arose  a  great  cry — it  was  a  vast  human  roar,  ring* 
ing,  anguished,  terrified.  It  proceeded  from  the 
lips  of  the  self-dubbed  Lord  Montague,  and  glanc- 
ing towards  the  tender  Ralph  witnessed  a  startling 
sight. 

The  monucled,  languid-aired  nobleman  hag 
struck  a  pose  against  the  tender  bar,  and  as  Fogg 
opened  the  furnace  door  and  the  fire  box  suddenly 
belched  out  a  sheet  of  flame  and  then  a  perfect 
cloud  of  ashes,  the  passenger  of  high  degree  was 
engulfed.  Fogg,  alert  to  his  duty,  after  nimbly 
skipping  aside,  had  kicked  the  furnace  door  shut. 
He  was  not  quick  enough,  however,  to  prevent 
what  seemed  to  be  half  the  contents  of  the  fur- 
17!) 


180   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

nace  from  pouring  out  a  great  cascade  of  ashea 
as  if  shot  from  a  cannon,  taking  the  astounded  and 
appalled  Montague  squarely  down  his  front. 

"Murder!"  he  yelled,  and  grasped  his  head  in 
his  hands  to  brush  away  the  hot  ashes  that  were 
searing  his  face. 

As  he  did  so  he  became  a  new  personality.  His 
mustache  was  brushed  from  his  lip  and  fell  to  tin, 
bottom  of  the  cab,  while  its  former  possesso? 
made  a  mad  dive  to  one  side. 

"Here,  you  chump!"  cried  Fogg;  "do  you  want 
to  kill  yourself?"  and  grabbing  the  singed  and 
frightened  passenger,  he  pinned  him  against  the 
coal  and  held  him  there.  In  doing  this  he  brushed 
one  whisker  from  the  side  of  his  captive's  face, 
and  the  latter  lay  panting  and  groaning  with 
nearly  all  his  fictitious  make-up  gone  and  quite  all 
of  his  nerve  collapsed. 

"What's  happened?"  asked  Ralph,  as  they 
slowed  down. 

"It  felt  like  a  powder  blast,"  declared  Fogg. 

Archie  Graham  had  uttered  a  cry  of  dismay — . 
of  discovery,  too,  it  seemed  to  Ralph.  The  young 
engineer  glanced  at  his  friend  perched  on  the  top 
of  the  tender  tank.  The  face  of  the  young  inven- 
tor was  a  study. 

Archie  acted  less  like  a  person  startled  than  as 
one  surprised.    He  appeared  to  be  neither  shocked 


ARCHIE  GRAHAM'S  INVENTION  181 

nor  particularly  interested.  His  expression  was 
that  of  one  disappointed.  It  suddenly  flashed 
across  Ralph,  he  could  scarcely  have  told  why, 
that  the  young  inventor  had  indeed  been  "invent- 
ing" something,  that  something  had  slipped  a  cog, 
and  that  he  was  responsible  for  the  catastrophe 
of  the  moment.  Now  Archie  looked  about  him  in 
a  stealthy,  baffled  way,  as  though  he  was  anxious 
to  sneak  away  from  the  scene. 

Half-blinded,  sputtering  and  a  sight,  ''his  lud- 
ship"  struggled  out  of  the  grasp  of  the  fireman. 
His  monocle  was  gone.  His  face,  divested  of  its 
hirsute  appendages,  Ralph  observed,  was  a  decid- 
edly evil  face.  As  the  train  came  to  a  halt  the  dis- 
mantled passenger  stepped  from  the  cab,  and 
wrath  fully  tearing  the  remaining  false  whiskers 
from  place,  sneaked  down  the  tracks,  seeking 
cover  from  his  discomfiture. 

"Hi!  you've  left  that  nobleman  face  of  yours 
behind  you,"  shouted  Fogg  after  him.  "What's 
his  game,  Fairbanks?" 

"It  staggers  me,"  confessed  Ralph.  "Hello, 
there,  Graham!" 

But  the  young  inventor  with  due  haste  was  dis- 
appearing over  the  rear  of  the  tender,  as  though 
he  was  ashamed  of  a  part  in  the  puzzling  occur- 
rence at  the  moment. 

"Something's  wrong,"  muttered  Fogg,  and  he 


182   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

opened  the  furnace  door  timidly.  There  was  no 
further  outburst  of  ashes.  "Queer,"  he  com- 
mented. "Jt  couldn't  have  been  powder.  \ 
noticed  a  draft  soon  as  we  started.  What  made 
it  ?     Where  is  it  now?" 

"It  was  only  when  we  were  running  fast,"  sub- 
mitted Ralph. 

The  fireman  leaped  down  to  the  tracks.  He 
inspected  the  locomotive  from  end  to  end.  Then 
he  began  ferretting  under  the  engine.  Ralph 
watched  him  climb  between  the  drivers.  Strange, 
muffled  mutterings  announced  some  discoverv. 
In  a  moment  or  two  Fogg  crawled  out  again. 

"I  vum!"  he  shouted.  "What  is  this  contrap- 
tion?" 

He  grasped  a  piece  of  wire-netted  belting,  and 
as  he  trailed  out  its  other  end,  to  it  was  attached 
a  queer-looking  device  that  resembled  a  bellows. 
Its  frame  was  of  iron,  and  it  had  a  tube  with  a 
steel  nozzle. 

"I  say,"  observed  the  young  engineer,  in  a  spec- 
ulative tone,  "where  did  that  come  from?" 

"I  found  its  nozzle  end  stuck  in  through  one 
end  of  the  draft  holes  in  the  fire  box,"  answered 
Fogg.  "This  belt  ran  around  two  axles  and 
worked  it.    Who  put  it  there?" 

"Graham,"  announced  Ralph  politely.  "Well 
— well — I    understand    his    queer    actions    now. 


ARCHIE  GRAHAM'S  INVENTION  183 

Bring  it  up  here,"  continued  Ralph,  as  the  fireman 
was  about  to  throw  it  aside. 

"The  young  fellow  who  thinks  he  is  going  to 
overturn  the  system  with  his  inventions?  Well, 
he  must  have  done  a  lot  of  work,  and  it  must  have 
taken  a  heap  of  time  to  fix  the  thing  so  it  worked. 
The  belt  was  adjusted  to  a  T.  Say,  you'd  better 
keep  him  out  of  the  roundhouse,  or  he'll  experi- 
ment on  us  some  day  in  a  way  that  may  lead  to 
something  serious." 

Ralph  put  the  contrivance  under  his  seat  for 
more  leisurely  inspection  later  on.  He  had  to 
smile  to  think  of  the  patience,  the  ingenuity  and 
the  eccentric  operation  of  the  well-meant  project 
of  his  young  inventor  friend.  The  bellows  prin- 
ciple of  increasing  the  furnace  draft  might  havt 
been  harmless  in  a  stationary  engine.  Even  on 
the  locomotive  it  had  shown  some  added  suction 
power  while  the  locomotive  was  going  ahead,  but 
the  moment  the  furnace  door  was  opened  the  cur- 
rent of  air  from  below  sought  the  nearest  vent. 
That  was  why  "his  ludship"  had  retired  under  a 
iecided  cloud  in  more  ways  than  one. 

When  they  arrived  at  Riverton  the  young  engi- 
neer made  a  search  for  both  Archie  and  the  dis- 
guised impostor.  He  located  neither.  From 
what  he  gathered  from  the  conductor,  Archie 
had  left  the  train  at  the  first  station  after  the 


184        RALPH  O.V  THE  Ol'ERLAXD  EXPRESS 

stop.  The  pretended  English  lord  had  been 
noticed  footing  it  back  towards  Stanley  Junction. 

The  return  trip  was  uneventful.  Archie  did 
not  put  in  an  appearance,  and  Ralph  fancied  he 
might  have  gone  back  to  Bridgeport.  The  next 
morning  when  Ralph  reported  for  duty,  little 
Torch v,  the  call  boy,  sidled  up  to  him  in  a  confi- 
dential way. 

"Say,  Mr.  Fairbanks — I  noticed  a  fellow  was 
on  your  cab  on  your  run  yesterday  that  I  have 
seen  before " 

"Indeed,"  answered  Ralph  curiously;  "what 
about  him?" 

"Nothing  much,  only  he  was  around  here  a  cou* 
pie  of  days  ago.  lie  pretended  that  he  wanted  to 
see  the  inside  of  a  roundhouse,  and  Mr.  Forgan 
sent  me  with  him  to  show  him  about.  When  ha 
got  me  alone  he  began  asking  me  all  about  you. 
Then  he  tried  to  pump  me  about  all  your  boy 
friends.  I  didn't  like  his  looks  or  his  actions,  so 
I  thought  I  would  tell  you  what  I  have." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Ralph.  "If  you  ever  run 
against  him  again,  tell  me." 

"I  will,  sure,"  responded  the  staunch  little  fel- 
low, who  had  a  genuine  friendship  for  Ralph,  who 
had  encouraged  him  greatly,  by  initiating  him  into 
roundhouse  duties  when  he  first  came  to  work  for 
the  Great  Northern. 


ARCHIE  GRAHAM'S  INVENTION  185 

Ralph  could  not  fathom  the  possible  motive  of 
the  stranger,  who  apparently  was  somehow  inter- 
ested in  his  doings.  When  they  started  out  on 
their  regular  run,  he  told  Fogg  what  Torchy  had 
imparted  to  him.  The  fireman  reflected  specu- 
latively over  the  disclosure. 

"I  can't  understand  what  the  fellow  is  up  to," 
he  admitted,  "unless  one  of  the  gangs  is  up  to  a 
new  trick  and  has  hired  a  stranger  to  work  it  on 
us." 

There  was  a  long  wait  at  Riverton  after  arrival 
that  day.  Then  they  were  sided,  and  Fogg 
strolled  off  to  a  restaurant.  Ralph  sat  down  on 
a  pile  of  ties  at  the  side  of  the  track  and  enjoyed 
the  lunch  that  he  had  brought  with  him  from 
home.  He  had  just  finished  it  and  was  about  to 
go  to  the  cab  and  get  a  book  on  railroading  to 
read,  when  a  tall,  farmer-appearing  fellow  came 
upon  the  scene. 

"Say,"  he  drawled,  "is  this  999 — yes,  I  see 
it  is." 

"All  right,"  nodded  RaJf)h ;  "what  about  it?'"1 

"I  want  to  see  the  engineer." 

"I  am  the  engineer." 

"Name  Fairbanks?" 

"Yes." 

"Well,  I'm  sent  to  you." 

"By  whom?" 


186   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Don't  know — never  saw  the  boy  before.  He's 
a  stranger  in  Riverton.  Came  up  to  me  and  gave 
me  a  half-a-dollar  to  come  here  and  deliver  a  mes- 
sage to  you." 

"Let  me  know  it,"  directed  Ralph. 

"Come  out  here  on  the  tracks,  and  I'll  show  you 
where  he  said  you  was  to  come  to  see  him.  Sec 
that  old  shed  over  beyond  those  freights?  Well, 
the  boy  said  you  was  to  come  there." 

"Oh,  he  did?"  commented  Ralph  musingly. 

"Yes,  he  said  to  come  alone,  as  it  was  particular. 
He  said  you'd  know  when  I  said  Martin — Martin 
oh,  yes,  Clark,  that's  it." 

"Marvin  Clark,"  decided  the  young  railroader 
at  once,  and  as  the  messenger  went  his  way  Ralph 
ran  to  the  engine  cab,  threw  off  his  jacket  and 
then  walked  down  the  tracks.  He  of  course 
thought  of  Fred  Porter  at  once.  It  looked  as 
though  that  individual  had  turned  up  again  and 
had  sent  for  him,  and  Ralph  was  glad  to  hear 
from  him  at  last. 

The  building  that  had  been  pointed  out  to  him 
by  the  boy  messenger  was  a  storage  shed  for 
repair  tools  and  supplies.  Ralph  passed  a  line  of 
damnged  freights,  and  reaching  the  shed,  found 
its  door  open.  He  stepped  across  the  threshold 
and  peered  around  among  the  heaps  of  iron  and 
steel. 


ARCHIE  GRAHAM'S  INVENTION 


187 


"Is  anybody  here?"  he  inquired. 

"Yes,  two  of  us,"  promptly  responded  a  harsK, 
familiar  voice,  that  gave  Ralph  a  start,  for  the 
next  instant  his  arms  were  seized,  drawn  behind 
him,  and  the  young  engineer  of  No.  999  found 
himself  a  prisoner. 


CHAPTER  XXI! 


IKE  SLUMP  AGAIN 


Ralph  knew  at  once  that  he  had  fallen  into  a 
trap  of  some  kind.  He  struggled  violently,  but 
it  was  of  no  avail.  Two  persons  had  slipped  up 
behind  him,  two  pairs  of  hands  were  holding  him 
captive. 

"Who  are  you?"  demanded  the  young  engineer 
sharply,  over  his  shoulder. 

There  was  no  response,  but  he  was  forced  for- 
ward clear  back  into  the  shed.  The  front  door 
was  kicked  shut.  Ralph  was  thrown  roughly 
among  a  heap  of  junk.  He  recovered  himself 
quickly  and  faced  his  assailants. 

The  light  in  the  place  was  dim  and  uncertain. 
The  only  glazed  aperture  in  the  shed  was  a  small 
window  at  the  rear.  With  considerable  interest 
Ralph  strained  his  gaze  in  an  endeavor  to  make 
out  his  captors.  Then  in  immense  surprise  he 
recognized  both. 

"Ike  Slump  and  Jim  Evans,"  he  spoke  aloud 

involuntarily. 

188 


IKE  SLUMP  AGA1X  l.C;9 

''You  call  the  roll,"  observed  Evans  with  3 
sneer. 

Ralph  reflected  rapidly.  The  last  he  had  heard 
of  this  precious  brace  of  comrades,  they  had  been 
sentenced  to  prison  for  a  series  of  bold  thefts 
from  the  railroad  company.  How  they  had  got- 
ten free  he  could  not  decide.  He  fancied  that  they 
had  in  some  way  escaped.  At  all  events,  they 
were  here,  and  the  mind  of  the  young  engineei 
instantly  ran  to  one  of  two  theories  as  to  their 
plans :  Either  the  gang  at  Stanley  Junction  hac 
hir-td  them  to  annoy  or  imperil  him,  or  Slump  and 
Evans  were  inspired  by  motives  of  personal 
revenge. 

Ike  Slump  had  been  a  trouble  to  Ralph  when  he 
iirst  began  his  ambitious  railroad  career  It  was 
Slump  who  had  hated  him  from  the  start  when 
Ralph  began  his  apprenticeship  with  the  Great 
Northern,  as  related  in  "Ralph  of  the  Round- 
house." Ralph  had  detected  Slump  and  others  in 
a  plot  to  rob  the  railroad  company  of  a  lot  of 
brass  journal  fittings.  From  that  time  on  through 
nearly  every  stage  of  Ralph's  upward  career, 
Slump  had  gone  steadily  down  the  easy  slope  of 
crime. 

When  he  linked  up  with  Evans,  his  superior 
in  years  and  cunning,  he  had  several  times  sought 
revenge  against  Ralph,  and  but  for  the  vigilance 


190   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

and  courage  of  the  young  engineer  his  life  might 
have  paid  the  forfeit. 

Evans  acted  promptly,  wasting  no  words.  He 
had  drawn  a  weapon  from  his  pocket,  and  this  he 
handed  to  Slump.  Then  he  turned  a  fierce,  low- 
ering visage  upon  Ralph. 

"Fairbanks,"  he  began,  "you're  to  go  with  us — 
where,  don't  matter,  nor  why.  We  owe  you  one, 
as  you've  known  for  a  long  time,  and  i  f  it  wasn't 
that  we're  here  for  the  money  there  is  in  it,  and 
not  revenge,  I'd  take  pleasure  in  balancing  the 
months  you  got  us  in  jail  by  crippling  you  so  you'd 
never  pull  another  lever.  This  is  business,  though, 
pure  and  simple.  If  you  get  hurt,  you  can  blame 
yourself.     You've  got  to  go  with  us. 

"Why  have  I?"  demanded  Ralph. 

"Because  we  say  so.  There's  a  man  quite  anx- 
ious to  see  you." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"That's  telling.  He  wants  to  ask  you  just  one 
question.  A  civil  answer  given,  and  you  are  free 
as  the  wind.  Slump,  take  this  pistol,  get  up  on  that 
pile  of  rails,  and  guard  Fairbanks.  If  he  start? 
to  run,  shoot — understand?" 

"I  guess  I  do!"  snarled  the  graceless  Ike,  climb- 
ing to  the  top  of  the  pile  of  rails.  "When  I  think 
of  what  this  fellow  has  done  to  down  me,  it  makes 
mv  blood  boil." 


IKE  SLUMP  AGAIN  19l 

"I'll  be  back  with  a  wagon  in  fifteen  minutes," 
uiid  Evans.  "You  take  your  medicine  quietly, 
Fairbanks,  and  nobody  will  get  hurt.  Try  any 
capers,  and  blame  yourself." 

The  speaker  proceeded  to  the  door  of  the  shea, 
opened  it,  and  closed  it  after  himself  as  if  every- 
thing was  settled  his  way.  Ike  Slump,  regarding 
the  captive  with  a  venomous  expression  of  face, 
sat  poising  his  weapon  with  the  manner  of  a  per* 
son  glad  to  have  an  occasion  arise  that  would  war- 
rant its  use  under  the  instructions  given  by  his 
partner. 

Ralph  summed  up  the  situation  and  counted  his 
chances.  It  was  apparent  to  him  that  only  a  bold, 
reckless  dash  could  avail  him.  There  was  no 
chance  to  pounce  upon  and  disarm  the  enemy, 
however,  and  Ralph  hesitated  about  seeking  any 
risks  with  a  fellow  who  held  him  so  completely  at 
his  mercy. 

"How  does  it  seem?"  jeered  Ike,  after  a  spell 
of  silence,  but  Ralph  did  not  answer  at  once.  He 
had  experienced  no  actual  fear  when  so  suddenly 
seized.  Now,  although  he  could  not  disregard  a 
certain  risk  and  menace  in  the  custody  of  two  of 
his  worst  enemies,  a  study  of  the  face  of  the  youth 
before  him  made  the  young  railroader  marvel  as 
to  what  he  could  find  enticing  in  doing  wrong,  and 


J92   RALPH   O.V  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

he  actually  felt  sorrow  and  sympathy,  instead  of 
thinking  of  his  own  precarious  situation. 

"Slump,"  spoke  Ralph  finally,  "I  am  sorry  for 
you." 

''That  so?  Ho!  ho!  truly?"  gibed  the  graceless 
Ike.  "What  game  are  you  up  to?  Don't  try 
any,  I  warn  you.  You're  clever,  Ralph  Fairbanks, 
but  I'm  slick.  You  see,  the  tables  have  turned.  I 
knew  they  would,  some  time." 

"Y\ "hat  is  it  you  fellows  want  of  me,  anyhow?" 
ventured  Ralph,  hoping  to  induce  Ike  to  disclose 
something. 

"Nothing  to  worry  about,"  declared  Slump 
carelessly.  '"You'll  soon  know.  Say,  though, 
Fairbanks,  don't  stir  the  lion,  don't  pull  his  tail." 

"You  seem  to  be  talking  about  menageries," 
observed  Ralph. 

"You'll  think  you're  in  one,  sure  enough,  if  you 
rile  Evans  up.  He  won't  stand  any  fooling,  you 
hear  me.  Shut  up,  now.  We'll  leave  discussing 
things  till  this  job  is  over  and  done  with.  Then  I 
may  have  something  to  tell  you  on  my  own  per- 
sonal account,  see?"  and  Ike  tried  to  look  very 
fierce  and  dangerous.  "I'll  give  you  something  to 
think  of,  though.  You're  going  to  tell  a  certain 
man  all  you  know  about  a  certain  fellow,  and 
you're  going  to  fix  it  so  that  the  certain  man  can 


IKE  SLUMP  AGAIX  193 

find  the  certain  fellow,  or  you  don't  run  999  for  a 
time  to  come,  I'll  bet  you." 

"Who  is  this  certain  man?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"I  don't  know  his  name.  He's  a  stranger  to 
me." 

"And  who  is  the  certain  fellow?" 

"I  know  that  one — I  don't  mind  telling  you. 
Then  shut  up.  You've  a  way  of  worming  things 
out  of  people,  and  I'm  not  going  to  help  you  any 
— it's  Marvin  Clark." 

"I  thought  it  was,"  nodded  the  young  engineer 
reflectively;  and  then  there  was  a  spell  of  silence. 

Ralph  could  only  conjecture  as  to  the  signifi- 
cance of  Ike's  statement.  There  certainly  was 
some  vivid  interest  that  centered  about  the  missing 
son  of  the  railroad  president.  That  name,  Mar- 
vin Clark,  had  been  used  to  lure  Ralph  to  the  old 
shed.  Now  it  was  again  employed.  It  took  a 
far  flight  of  fancy  to  discern  what  connection 
young  Clark  might  have  with  these  two  outcasts 
— worse,  criminals.  Ralph  decided  that  their  only 
mission  in  any  plot  surrounding  Clark  was  that  of 
hired  intermediaries.  He  did  not  know  why,  but 
somehow  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Evans 
and  Slump  were  acting  in  behalf  of  the  pretended 
Lord  Montague.  Why  and  wherefore  he  could 
not  imagine,  but  he  believed  that  through  circum- 
stances now  developing  he  would  soon  find  out.   7 


194   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Slump  shifted  around  on  the  pile  of  rails  a 
good  deal.  They  afforded  anything  but  a  com- 
fortable resting  place.  Finally  he  seemed  to 
decide  that  he  would  change  his  seat.  He  edged 
along  with  the  apparent  intention  of  reaching  a 
heap  of  spike  kegs.  He  never,  however,  took  his 
eye  away  from  Ralph.  Ike,  too,  held  his  weapon 
at  a  continual  menace,  and  gave  his  captive  no 
chance  to  act  against  him  or  run  for  the  door. 

Near  the  end  of  the  pile  of  rails,  Ike  prepared 
to  descend  backwards  to  the  spike  kegs.  He 
planned  to  do  this  without  for  an  instant  relaxing 
his  vigilance.  As  he  reached  out  one  foot  to  touch 
the  rails,  there  was  an  ominious  grinding  sound. 
He  had  thrown  his  weight  on  one  rail.  The  con- 
tact pushed  this  out  of  place. 

Once  started,  the  whole  heap  began  to  shift. 
Ralph,  quite  awed,  saw  the  pile  twist  out  of  shape, 
and,  tumbling  in  their  midst,  was  his  watcher. 
A  scream  of  mortal  agony  rang  through  the  old 
shed,  and  Ike  Slump  landed  on  the  floor  with 
half  a  ton  of  rails  pinioning  his  lower  limbs. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

A    CRITICAL    MOMENT 

If  the  rails  under  which  Ike  Slump  lay  had  not 
caught  at  their  ends  with  other  rails,  his  limbs 
would  have  been  crushed  out  of  all  semblance. 
Ralph  noted  this  at  once,  and  as  well  the  extreme 
peril  of  the  situation  of  the  enemy  who,  a  minute 
previous  had  been  gloating  over  his  helplessness. 

"Don't  move — for  your  life,  don't  move!" 
shouted  Ralph,  and  he  sprang  forward  in  front  of 
the  pinioned  Ike  Slump. 

"I'm  killed,  I'm  crushed  to  death!"'  bellowed 
Ike.     "Oh,  help!  help!" 

The  weapon  had  fallen  from  his  hand.  Both 
arms  wildly  sawing  the  air.  Ike  shivered  and 
shrank  like  the  arrant  craven  he  was  at  heart. 

"Do  just  as  I  say,"  ordered  the  young  engineer 
breathlessly.     "Don't  stir — don't  even  breathe." 

Ralph  had  jumped  to  the  end  of  the  pile  of 
rails.  His  quick  eye  selected  the  one  rail  that  was 
the  key  of  the  tangle,  which,  directed  wrong, 
195 


196   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

would  sweep  the  mass  with  crushing  force  acrosy 
the  pinioned  body  of  Ike.  The  rails  were  short 
lengths.  But  for  this,  Ralph,  strong  as  he  was, 
could  have  done  little  or  nothing.  He  got  a  grasp 
upon  the  rail.    Then  he  sung  out. 

"Slip  when  I  lift." 

"I  can't, — I  can't!"  wailed  Ike. 

"You've  got  to — now!" 

Ralph  gave  a  tug  at  the  rail.  There  was  an  om- 
inous grind  and  quiver  as  the  others  interlocked. 
He  made  a  tremendous  lift,  one  which  strained 
every  sinew  and  started  the  perspiration  from 
every  pore. 

"I'm  numbed,  I'm  all  crushed!"  snivelled  Ike; 
nevertheless  he  managed  to  crawl  out,  or  rather 
slip  out  from  under  the  uplifted  rail.  He  rolled 
on  the  dirt  floor  of  the  shed,  making  a  great  ado. 
It  was  just  in  time,  for  Ralph  felt  his  eyes 
starting  from  his  head.  He  dropped  the  heavy 
mass  he  had  sustained  and  staggered  back,  well- 
nigh  overcome. 

As  his  breath  came  back  to  him,  Ralph  glanced 
particularly  at  Ike.  The  latter  was  completely  ab- 
sorbed in  his  own  sufferings.  Ralph  could  dis- 
cern from  the  movements  of  his  limbs  that  neither 
of  them  was  dislocated  and  apparently  no  bones 
were  broken.     Still,  he  realized  that  they  must  be 


A  CRITICAL  MOMENT  }Q7 

badly  bruised  and  that  Ike  was  disabled,  at  least 
for  a  time. 

"I'm  going  for  help,"  he  said  simply,  and  dart- 
ed from  the  shed.  Ike  yelled  after  him  to  protest 
against  desertion,  but  Ralph  paid  no  attention. 
He  planned  to  get  .to  friends  while  Evans  was 
still  away,  and  he  determined  to  get  back  with 
friends  by  the  time  Evans  returned. 

Fogg  was  at  the  engine  as  Ralph  ran  along  the 
tracks,  and  one  of  the  brakemen  of  the  accommo- 
dation was  with  him.  Ralph  rapidly  apprized  his 
fireman  of  the  situation. 

"Slump  and  Evans,  eh!"  muttered  Fogg,  a  deep 
crinkle  of  belligerency  crossing  his  forehead.  "It 
was  Slump  who  stole  half  my  chickens.  As  to 
Evans,  his  mean  treachery  during  the  strike  came 
near  getting  me  discharged.  I  thought  they  were 
safe  in  jail." 

"So  did  I,"  said  Ralph.  "They  seem  to  have 
escaped,  though.  Mr.  Fogg,  they  are  bad  people 
to  have  at  large." 

"Bad !  they're  of  a  dangerous  breed,  I  tell  you. 
Simmons,  hustle  along  with  us." 

The  fireman  snatched  up  a  furnace  poker  and 
put  down  the  track  after  Ralph,  on  the  run.  He 
was  the  first  to  dart  into  the  shed  when  they 
reached  it,  and  ran  up  against  the  others  follow- 
ing, after  a  swift  glance  about  the  place. 


198        RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS    V 

"No  one  here,"  he  reported.  "Gone — they've 
slipped  us — there's  no  one  in  this  shed." 

"Ah,  I  see,  "  spoke  Ralph,  with  a  look  about  the 
place  outside.  "Here  are  wagon  wheels,"  and 
then  he  cast  his  eve  across  the  landscape. 

It  was  so  crowded  with  tracks,  buildings  and 
trees  beyond  that  he  could  not  look  far  in  the 
distance.  Ralph,  however,  was  satisfied  that 
Evans,  returning  with  the  wagon,  had  made  haste 
to  carry  his  helpless  comrade  to  the  vehicle  and 
get  beyond  reach  of  capture. 

Fogg  was  for  starting  a  pursuit,  but  Ralph  con- 
vinced him  of  the  futility  of  this  course,  and  they 
returned  to  the  locomotive.  Once  there,  the  fire- 
man went  over  the  case  in  all  its  bearings.  Ralph 
had  heretofore  told  him  little  concerning  Fred 
Porter  and  Marvin  Clark.  He  had  shown  him 
the  photograph  of  the  latter  some  days  previous, 
asking  him  to  keep  an  eye  out  for  its  original. 
Now  he  felt  that  some  confidence  was  due  his 
loyal  cab  mate,  and  he  recited  the  entire  story  of 
what  he  knew  and  his  surmises. 

"You've  got  a  square  head,  Fairbanks,"  said 
Fogg,  "and  I'll  rely  on  it  every  time.  It's  logic 
to  think  your  way.  Some  fellow  is  mightily  inter- 
ested in  this  young  Clark.  None  too  good  is  the 
fellow,  either,  or  he  wouldn't  have  to  beat  around 


A  CRITICAL  MOMENT  199 

the  bush.  No,  he's  not  straight,  or  he  wouldn't 
hire  such  fellows  as  Evans  and  Ike  Slump  to  help 
him  out." 

"I  don't  understand  it  all,"  confessed  Ralph, 
''but  I  can  see  that  a  good  deal  of  mysteriaus  in- 
terest centers  around  this  young  Clark.  I'm 
going  to  try  and  get  some  word  to  Porter —  and  to 
Zeph  Dallas.  They  should  know  what's  going 
on  regarding  Clark." 

The  incident  did  not  depart  from  the  young  en- 
gineer's mind  during  the  return  trip  to  Stanley 
Junction,  nor  for  several  days  later.  With  the 
escape  of  Evans  and  Ike  Slump,  however,  the 
episode  ended,  at  least  for  the  time  being.  A 
week  and  more  passed  by,  and  that  precious  pair 
and  their  presumable  employer,  the  pretended 
Lord  Montague,  seemed  to  have  drifted  out  of 
existence  quite  as  fully  as  had  Zeph,  Porter  and 
young  Clark. 

One  morning  there  was  an  animated  discussion 
going  on  when  Ralph  entered  the  roundhouse. 
He  was  greatly  interested  in  it,  although  he  did 
not  share  in  the  general  commotion. 

The  result  of  somebody's  "confidential"  talk 
with  the  division  superintendent  had  leaked  out — « 
the  Great  Northern  was  figuring  to  soon  an< 
nounce  its  new  train. 


200   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"As  I  get  it,"  observed  old  John  Griscom.  "the 
road  is  in  for  a  bid  on  the  service  the  Midland 
Central  is  getting." 

"Yon  don't  mean  through  business?"  spoke  an 
inquiring  voice. 

"Sure,  that,"  assented  the  veteran  railroader. 
"We've  beat  them  on  the  China  &  Japan  Mail  run 
to  Bridgeport,  and  now  the  scheme  is  to  run  the 
Overland  Express  in  from  the  north,  catch  her 
up  here,  and  cut  out  Bridgeport  at  a  saving  of  fifty 
miles  on  the  regular  western  run." 

"Then  they  will  have  to  take  the  Mountain 
Division  from  Stanley  Junction." 

"Just  that,  if  they  expect  to  make  the  time 
needed,"  assented  Griscom.  "Hey,  Bill  Somers," 
to  a  grizzled  old  fellow  with  one  arm,  who  was 
shaking  his  head  seriously  at  all  this  confab, 
"what  you  mooning  about?" 

"I  wouldn't  take  that  run,"  croaked  Somers,  "if 
they  gave  me  a  solid  gold  engine  with  the  tender 
full  of  diamonds.  I  left  an  arm  on  that  route. 
Say,  Dave  Little  and  I  had  a  construction  run 
over  those  sliding  curves  up  and  down  the  canyon 
grades.  It  lasted  a  month.  There  were  snow- 
slides,  washouts,  forest  fires.  There's  a  part  of 
the  road  that's  haunted.  There's  a  hoodoo  over 
one  section,  where  they  kill  a  man  about  once  a 
week.     Little  lost  his  leg  and  his  job  there.     My 


A  CRITICAL  MOMENT  201 

old  arm  is  sleeping  thereabouts  in  some  ravine. 
No  Mountain  Division  run  for  me,  boys!" 

"You  won't  get  it,  never  fear,"  observed  a 
voice. 

"No,  I  know  that,"  retorted  Somers  a  little 
sadly,  indicating  his  helplessness  by  moving  his 
stump  of  an  arm,  "but  I  pity  the  fellow  who 
does." 

Day  by  day  after  that  there  were  new  addi- 
tions to  the  fund  of  gossip  concerning  the  new  run. 
It  all  interested  Ralph.  Nothing  definite,  how- 
ever, was  as  yet  stated  officially.  Ralph  and  Fogg 
continued  on  the  accommodation,  and  there  was 
now  little  break  in  the  regular  routine  of  their 
railroad  experience. 

Ralph  had  made  a  short  cut  across  the  switch 
yards  one  morning,  when  a  stirring  episode 
occurred  that  he  was  not  soon  to  forget,  nor  oth-* 
ers.  It  took  an  expert  to  thread  the  maze  of  cars 
in  motion,  trains  stalled  on  sidings,  and  trains 
arriving  and  departing. 

It  was  the  busiest  hour  of  the  day,  and  Ralph 
kept  his  eye  out  sharply.  He  had  paused  for  a 
moment  in  a  clear  triangle  formed  by  diverging 
rails,  to  allow  an  outward  bound  train  to  clear 
the  switch,  when  a  man  on  the  lower  step  of  the 
last  car  waved  his  hand  and  hailed  him. 

It  was  the  master  mechanic,  and  Ralph  was 


202   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

pleased  at  the  notice  taken  of  him,  and  interested 
to  iearn  what  the  official  wanted  of  him.  The 
master  mechanic,  alighting,  started  across  the 
tracks  to  join  Ralph. 

A  train  was  backing  on  the  one  track  between 
them.  Another  train  was  moving  out  on  the  rails 
still  nearer  to  Ralph. 

It  was  a  scene  of  noise,  commotion  and  confu- 
sion. If  the  master  mechanic  had  been  a 
novice  in  railroad  routine,  Ralph  could  not  have 
repressed  a  warning  shout,  for  with  his  usual 
coolness  that  official,  timing  all  train  movements 
about  him  with  his  practiced  eye,  made  a  quick  run 
to  clear  the  train  backing  in  to  the  depot.  lie  cal- 
culated then,  Ralph  foresaw,  to  cross  the  tracks 
along  which  the  outgoing  train  was  coming. 

"He's  taking  a  risk — it's  a  graze,"  murmured 
the  young  engineer  in  some  trepidation. 

The  master  mechanic  was  alert  and  nimble, 
though  past  middle  age.  He  took  the  chances 
of  a  spry  jump  across  the  rails,  his  eye  fixed  on 
the  outgoing  train,  aiming  to  get  across  to  Ralph 
before  it  passed.  In  landing,  however,  he  miscal- 
culated. The  run  and  jump  brought  him  to  a  dead 
halt  against  a  split  switch.  His  foot  drove  into 
the  jaws  of  the  frog  as  if  wedged  there  by  the 
blow  of  a  sledge-hammer. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE   NEW    RUN 

The  young  engineer  stood  shocked  and  motion- 
less— only,  however,  for  the  minutest  fraction  of 
a  moment.  A  railroad  man's  life  is  full  of  sud- 
den surprises  and  situations  calling  for  prompt, 
decisive  and  effective  action.  Ralph  had  learned 
this  from  experience. 

The  master  mechanic  was  in  the  direct  path  of 
the  train  backing  into  the  depot.  The  one  he  had 
just  left  and  the  one  proceeding  in  the  same  direc- 
tion shut  him  in  where  there  was  no  flagman  or 
switches.  The  train  bearing  down  upon  him  was 
on  a  rounding  bend  of  rails,  the  locomotive  not 
in  view,  and  there  was  no  possible  chance  of  sig- 
nalling the  engineer. 

As  Ralph  started  forward  the  engine  of  the 
outbound  train  passed  him.  He  waited  for  one 
car  only  to  pass  him.  How  he  skimmed  its  rear 
platform  he  never  knew.  It  was  a  daring,  reck- 
less spring,  and  he  landed  on  the  planking  beyond 

the  rails  on  a  dizzying  slide.     The  next  instan' 
203 


204   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

he  was  at  the  side  of  the  imperilled  railroad  official 

"I'm  caught!"  gasped  the  master  mechanic, 
with  a  white  but  set  face,  as  lie  recognized  Ralph. 

"Swing  down!"  cried  the  young  railroader. 
''It's  your  only  chance." 

The  master  mechanic  barely  suppressed  a  groan 
as  he  toppled  sideways.  The  twist  to  his  ankle 
made  him  wince.  Ralph  saw  that  his  foot  was 
held  as  in  a  vise.  No  amount  of  pulling  could  get 
him  free.  The  train  backing  down  was  less  than 
thirty  feet  away. 

"Hold  steady,"  breathed  Ralph  in  a  shaking 
tone,  and  his  hand  dove  for  his  pocket.  He 
recalled  it  all  afterwards  as  a  remarkable  thing 
that,  standing  there,  a  great  peril  hovering,  there 
seemed  to  Hash  through  his  mind  a  vivid  photo^ 
graph  of  Torchy. 

The  call  boy  at  the  roundhouse  was  a  great 
friend  of  the  young  engineer.  Ralph  had  been  his 
model,  as  was  he  his  friend.  He  had  loaned  the 
little  fellow  a  book  on  railroading  that  had 
delighted  Torchy,  and  observing  Ralph  sharpen- 
ing a  peg  for  his  bumper  with  a  decidedly  blunt- 
edged  knife,  he  had  begged  the  privilege  of  get- 
ting it  sharpened  for  him. 

When  he  had  returned  the  knife  to  Ralph  the 
day  previous,  Torchy  declared  that  it  was  sharp 
as  a  razor  and  would  cut  a  hair  in  two.     Ralph 


THE  NEW  RUN  205 

found  this  to  be  no  exaggeration.  In  addition 
Torchy  had  oiled  the  blade  hinges.  Now  the 
young  engineer  thought  of  Torchy  and  of  the 
knife  as  \\z  drew  it  from  his  pocket,  whipped  open 
its  big  blade  and  made  a  dive  rather  than  a  swoop 
beside  the  body  of  the  master  mechanic. 

"Pull  back  your  foot!"  cried  Ralph,  and  made 
a  swoop.  The  flanges  of  the  near  truck  wheels 
were  grinding  on  the  edge  of  the  rails  not  five 
feet  away.  Ralph's  arm  described  a  deft  oval 
movement.  In  one  swift  stroke  he  slit  the  shoe 
from  vamp  to  sole.  He  was  conscious  that  the 
foot  of  the  master  mechanic  came  free.  Then 
something  struck  Ralph,  and  he  felt  himself 
tossed  aside  inert  and  unconscious  by  some  stum 
ning  force. 

When  he  again  opened  his  eyes  Ralph  caugll 
the  vague  hum  of  a  lingo  of  switch  pidgin,  smut- 
faced,  blear-eyed  men  near  by,  himself  stretched 
at  full  length  on  sleeping  car  cushions  on  the  floof 
of  the  dog  house.  He  sat  up  promptly.  There 
was  a  momentary  blur  to  his  sight,  but  this  quickly 
passed  away. 

"Aha — only  a  bump — I  told  you  so!"  cried 
bluff -hearted  Tim  Forgan,  the  foreman,  jumping 
from  a  bench  and  approaching  Ralph. 

"All  right,  Fairbanks?"  questioned  John  Gris- 
com,  coming  to  his  side. 


20G   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Right  as  a  trivet,"  reported  Ralph,  getting  to 
his  feet.     "What  hit  me?" 

"The  step  of  a  coach,  it  seems,"  explained 
Forgan. 

|  Ralph  passed  his  hand  over  his  head  until  it 
rested  on  a  lump  and  a  sore  spot  near  one  ear.  It 
was  wet  and  greasy  where  some  liniment  had  been 
applied. 

"The  master  mechanic?"  he  asked,  with  a  quick 
memory  of  what  had  happened. 

"Ankle  wrenched,"  said  Griscom.  "We  made 
him  get  to  a  surgeon  on  a  litter.  He  minded 
nothing  but  you,  till  he  was  sure  that  you  were  all 
right." 

Ralph  uttered  a  vast  sigh  of  relief  and  satisfac- 
tion. Forgan  led  him  to  his  own  special  office 
armchair.  Half-a-dozen  crowded  about  him, 
curious  for  details  of  the  accident  no  one  of  them 
had  witnessed. 

Ralph  gave  them  the  particulars  as  he  could 
remember  them.  He  asked  for  a  drink  of  water, 
felt  of  the  bump  again  with  a  smiling  grimace, 
and  arose  to  his  feet. 

"Same  schedule,  I  suppose?"  he  inquired,  start- 
ing to  go  outside  the  doghouse  and  inspect  the 
bulletin  board  on  which  daily  orders  were  posted. 

"You  don't  mean  that  you  are  going  to  make 
your  run  to-day,  Fairbanks?"  asked  the  foreman. 


THE  NEW  RUN  207 

"Why  not?" 

"Used  up." 

"Am  I?"  queried  Ralph  with  a  smiie.  "Then  1 
don't  know  it.  I  fancy  it  was  a  narrow  escape, 
and  I  am  grateful  for  it." 

"The  master  mechanic  was  looking  for  you 
when  he  got  frogged,"  observed  Griscom. 

"Yes,  I  thought  he  was,"  nodded  Ralph. 

"Here,  Fairbanks,"  broke  in  the  foreman  of 
the  roundhouse,  "tack  up  this  flimsy  with  the 
rest,  will  you?" 

Ralph  took  the  tissue  sheet  tendered,  stepped 
through  the  open  doorway  into  the  roundhouse, 
and  set  the  sheet  upon  two  tacks  on  the  bulletin 
board.  He  started  to  stroll  over  to  No.  999  in 
her  stall. 

"Hold  on,"  challenged  Forgan;  "that  flimsy 
just  came  in.  It's  an  important  order.  Better 
read  it,  Fairbanks." 

"All  right,''  assented  Ralph,  and  turning,  cast 
his  eyes  at  the  sheet.  They  distended  wide,  for 
this  is  what  he  read  : 

"No.  7,  new  train,  Overland  Express,  Mountain 
Division,  6.12  p.  m.,  beginning  Monday,  the  15th. 
Engineer  :  Fairbanks — Fireman  :  Fogg." 

"My !"  was  all  that  Ralph  could  gasp  out. 


208   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

A  great  hearty  hand,  that  of  the  old  railroad 
veteran,  John  Griscom,  landed  on  Ralph's  shoul- 
der with  a  resounding  slap. 

"Fairbanks!"  he  roared  in  the  ear  of  the  bewil- 
dered young  engineer,  "the  top  rung  of  the  ladder 
at  las'  1" 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  MOUNTAIN  DIVISION 

"WELL,  lad,  you've  passed  muster  and  got  to 
the  head  of  the  class!"  proclaimed  old  John 
Griscom. 

"Oh,  no,"  dissented  Ralph  Fairbanks;  "I'm  just 
started  in  to  learn  what  real  railroading  means." 

"I'd  call  you  a  pretty  apt  student,  then,"  put  it* 
Tim  Forgan,  foreman  of  the  Stanley  Junction 
roundhouse. 

"If  there's  any  man,  boy  or  child  in  this  dog- 
house who  says  that  young  Fairbanks  isn't  a 
cracker  jack,  let  him  step  right  up  here  and  take 
his  medicine !"  vaunted  Lemuel  Fogg,  playfully, 
but  with  a  proud  look  of  admiration  at  the  expert 
young  engineer. 

"It's  the  best  part  of  it  to  know  that  you  fel- 
lows mean  every  word  you  say  and  believe  in 
me,"  observed  Ralph.  "Your  encouragement  and 
influence  have  boosted  me  up  to  the  Overland 
Express  all  right — I'll  try  and  never  make  you 
ashamed  of  having  backed  me." 
209 


HO   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Ralph  Fairbanks  felt  good  and  showed  it.  His 
friends  shared  in  his  emotions  and  sentiments,  and 
that  made  the  present  occasion  doubly  glad  and 
welcome.  It  was  one  of  those  rare  moments,  com- 
ing only  once  in  a  while,  when  Ralph  and  his  com- 
rades had  an  idle  half  hour  to  chat  and  compli- 
ment each  other  in  the  doghouse. 

The  Overland  Express  had  become  an  estab- 
lished feature  of  the  Great  Northern — as  little 
Torchy  had  phrased  it,  "a  howling  success."  A 
week  had  gone  by,  and  now,  seated  in  the  midst  of 
his  loyal  friends,  Ralph  felt  that  he  had  made 
good  on  a  promotion  that  placed  him  at  the  top 
notch  of  engineering  service. 

It  was  a  big  thing  for  a  youth  to  gain  that  high 
distinction — engineer  of  the  Overland  Express. 
Looking  back  over  the  active,  energetic  career 
that  had  led  up  to  this,  however,  Ralph  realized 
that  the  climax  had  been  reached  a  step  at  a  time 
through  patience,  perseverance  and  genuine  hard 
work.  It  was  a  proof  to  him  that  any  person 
following  discipline  and  having  as  a  motto  preci- 
sion and  finality,  was  bound  to  succeed.  It  was 
a  most  enjoyable  breathing  spell  to  realize  that 
all  the  anxiety,  dash  and  novelty  of  the  experi- 
mental trips  over  the  Mountain  Division  were 
past,  and  he  now  felt  that  he  knew  the  route  and 
all  its  details  perfectly. 


THE  MOUNTAIN  DIVISION  211 

Ralph  had  found  time  to  do  some  thinking 
about  his  friends  the  past  day  or  two.  He  had 
seen  two  of  them,  for  Van  Sherwin  and  little 
Limpy  Joe  had  come  down  from  the  Short  Line, 
and  had  spent  a  pleasant  day  at  the  Fairbanks 
home.  Archie  Graham,  too,  had  put  in  an  appear- 
ance. The  young  inventor  looked  shamefaced  and 
distressed  when  he  admitted  all  that  Ralph  had 
guessed  concerning  the  patent  bellows  —  draft 
improvement  for  locomotives. 

"It  only  worked  the  wrong  way,"  explained 
Archie ;  "next  time " 

"Next  time  try  it  on  some  other  railroad, 
Archie,"  advised  Ralph.  "They're  watching  for 
you  with  rifles  down  at  the  Great  Northern  round- 
house." 

"Huh!"  snorted  Archie  contemptuously; 
"they'll  be  sorry  when  I  strike  some  real  big  thing 
and  another  line  gets  it.  Now  then,  I've  got  some- 
thing brand  new — the  rocket  danger  signal." 

"Go  right  ahead  experimenting  with  it,  only 
choose  a  spot  where  you  won't  hurt  any  one," 
advised  Ralph.  "You're  all  right,  Archie," 
declared  the  young  railroader,  slapping  his  com- 
rade appreciatively  on  the  shoulder,  "only  you  are 
too  ambitious.  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  will 
some  day  hit  something  tangible.  It's  a  long, 
patient  road,  though — this  inventing  things." 


212   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"You  bet  it  is,"  assented  Archie  with  force. 

"And  you  attempt  too  grand  beginnings.  Take 
something  more  simple  and  easy  than  trying  to 
revolutionize  railroad  service  all  at  once,  and 
gradually  work  up  to  bigger  things." 

"Say,  there's  sense  in  that,  an  old  inventor  told 
me  the  same  thing."  said  Archie ;  "but  yon  see  this 
rocket  danger  signal  of  mine  is  a  new  thing.  I'm 
going  to  Bridgeport  to-morrow  to  get  some  fix- 
ings I  have  in  my  workshop  there.  You'll  hear 
from  me  later,  Fairbanks." 

Concerning  Zeph,  Fred  Porter  and  Marvin 
Clark  the  young  railroader  had  heard  nothing 
since  the  last  visit  of  Zeph  to  Stanley  Junction. 
Many  a  lime  he  wondered  what  had  become  of 
them.  He  had  all  kinds  of  theories  as  to  their 
continued  mysterious  absence,  but  no  solution 
offered  as  time  wore  on. 

The  Overland  Express  had  not  become  an  old 
thing  with  Ralph.  He  felt  that  the  charm  and 
novelty  of  running  the  crack  train  of  the  road 
could  never  wear  out.  With  each  trip,  however, 
there  came  a  feeling  of  growing  strength  and  self- 
reliance.  Ralph  had  learned  to  handle  the  propo- 
sition aptly,  and  he  took  a  great  pride  in  the  time 
record  so  far. 

"It's  a  lively  run.  and  no  mistake,"  he  remarked 
to  Fogg,  as  they  started  out  from  the  depot  that 


THE  MOUNTAIN  DIVISION  213 

evening.  "We  haven't  had  any  of  the  direful  mis- 
haps, though,  that  those  old  doghouse  croakers 
predicted." 

"No,"  admitted  the  fireman,  but  he  accom- 
panied the  word  with  a  serious  shake  of  the  head ; 
"that's  to  come.  I'm  trained  enough  to  guess 
that  another  frost  or  two  will  end  in  the  season 
that  every  railroad  man  dreads.  Wait  till  the 
whiskers  get  on  the  rails,  lad,  and  a  freshet  or  two 
strikes  999.  There's  some  of  those  culverts  make 
me  quake  when  I  think  of  the  big  ice  gorges  likely 
to  form  along  Dolliver's  Creek.  Oh,  we'll  get 
them — storms,  snowslides  and  blockades.  The 
only  way  is  to  remember  the  usual  winter  warn- 
ing, 'extra  caution,'  keep  cool,  and  stick  to  the  cab 
to  the  last." 

Summer  had  faded  into  autumn,  and  one  or  two 
sharp  frosts  had  announced  the  near  approach  of 
winter.  The  day  before  there  had  been  a  slight 
snow  flurry.  A  typical  fall  day  and  a  moonlit  night 
had  followed,  however,  and  Ralph  experienced  the 
usual  pleasure  as  they  rolled  back  the  miles  under 
flying  wheels.  They  took  the  sharp  curves  as 
they  ran  up  into  the  hills  with  a  scream  of  tri- 
umph from  the  locomotive  whistle  every  time  they 
made  a  new  grade. 

"Waste  of  steam,  lad,  that,"  observed  Fogg,  as 


214    RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

they  rounded  a  curve  and  struck  down  into  a  cut 
beyond  which  lay  the  town  of  Fordham. 

"Better  to  be  safe,"  responded  Ralph.  "There's 
a  crossing  right  ahead  where  the  old  spur  cuts  in." 

"Yes,  but  who  ever  crosses  it?"  demanded  the 
fireman. 

"Some  one  did  two  nights  ago,"  insisted  Ralph. 
"I'm  positive  that  we  just  grazed  a  light  wagon 
crossing  the  roadway  leading-  into  the  cut." 

"Then  it  was  some  stray  farmer  lost  off  his 
route,"  declared  Fogg.  "Why,  that  old  spur  has 
been  rusting  away  for  over  five  years,  to  my  rec- 
ollection. As  to  the  old  road  beyond  being  a 
highway,  that's  nonsense.  There's  no  thorough- 
fare beyond  the  end  of  the  spur.  The  road  ends 
at  a  dismantled,  abandoned  old  factory,  and 
nobody  lives  anywhere  in  this  section." 

"Is  that  so  ?"    Toot !  toot !  toot ! 

The  whistle  screeched  out  sharply.  The  fire' 
man  stuck  his  head  out  of  the  window.  Ralph 
had  already  looked  ahead. 

"I  declare!"  shouted  Fogg,  staring  hard. 
"Swish — gone!     But  what  was  it  we  passed?" 

Ralph  did  not  speak.  He  sat  still  in  a  queef 
kind  of  realization  of  what  they  both  had  just 
seen,  and  in  the  retrospect.  While  he  and  his  fire- 
man had  been  conversing,  just  ahead  in  the  whits, 
moonlight  he  had  seen  two  human  figures  againsl 


THE  MOUNTAIN  DIVISION  215 

the  sky.  It  was  a  flashing  glimpse  only,  for  the 
train  was  making  a  forty  mile  clip,  but,  dangling 
from  a  tree  overhanging  the  side  of  the  cliff  lining 
the  tracks  on  one  side,  he  had  made  out  two  boys. 

"The  Canaries!"  he  murmured  to  himself,  in 
profound  surprise  and  deep  interest.  "I  even 
heard  them  whistle." 

Ralph  was  so  sure  that  the  little  swinging  fig- 
ures he  had  seen  were  the  lithe,  strange  creatures 
who  had  been  brought  to  Stanley  Junction  by 
Zeph  Dallas,  that  he  thought  about  it  all  the  rest 
of  the  trip.  lie  said  nothing  further  to  Fogg 
about  the  circumstance,  but  he  resolved  to  investi- 
gate later  on. 

The  young  engineer  tried  to  calculate  ahead 
how  some  day  soon  he  could  arrange  to  visit  the 
vicinity  of  the  old  Fordham  spur.  He  was  posi- 
tive that  he  had  seen  the  two  Canaries.  Their 
presence  at  the  spur  indicated  that  they  must  be 
denizens  of  its  neighborhood.  This  being  true, 
their  presence  might  indicate  the  proximity  of 
Zeph  Dallas.  At  least  the  strange  young  foreign- 
ers might  know  what  had  become  of  the  ardent 
young  "detective." 

Ralph  made  a  good  many  inquiries  of  his  fire- 
man as  to  the  Fordham  spur.  Fogg  simply  knew 
that  it  ran  to  an  old  ruined  factory  long  since 
abandoned.    On  the  return  trip  Ralph  kept  a  sharp 


21G   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

lookout  as  they  neared  the  cut.  There  was  no  sec- 
ond appearance  of  the  Canaries,  however,  nor  the 
next  night,  nor  that  following.  The  young  engi- 
neer found  no  opportunity  of  visiting  the  place, 
but  he  kept  his  plan  to  do  so  constantly  in  mind. 

It  was  two  days  later  as  he  made  the  short  cut 
to  the  roundhouse  a'uout  noon,  that  Ralph  was 
greeted  by  a  new  discovery  that  fairly  took  his 
breath  away.  He  had  stepped  aside  to  wait  till 
a  locomotive  with  one  car  attached  passed  the 
crossing.  The  peculiar  oddness  of  the  car  at  once 
attracted  his  attention. 

It  was  an  old  tourist  car,  used  only  on  far  west- 
ern railroads.  He  had  seen  its  like  only  once  or 
twice  before.  Its  inside  shades  were  all  drawn. 
There  was  no  sight  of  life  about  it.  The  locomo- 
tive belonged  to  the  northern  branch  of  the  Great 
Northern,  and  had  the  right  of  way  and  was 
tracked  for  the  Mountain  Division. 

"That's  a  queer  layout,"  solliloquized  Ralph,  as 
the  strange  outfit  flashed  by.    "Hello!" 

The  young  engineer  uttered  a  great  shout.  As 
the  car  passed  him  he  naturally  glanced  at  its  rear 
platform. 

Upon  its  step  in  solitary  possession  of  the  car 
sat  his  long-lost  friend — Zeph  Dallas. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

MYSTERY 

Ralph  Fairbanks  saw  Zeph  Dallas  distinctly 
and  recognized  him.  The  latter  looked  up  as  the 
young  engineer  uttered  an  irrepressible  shout.  He 
started  to  wave  his  hand.  Then  he  shrank  down 
on  the  car  step  as  if  seeking  to  hide  himself. 

Ralph  stood  gazing  after  the  coach  until  it  had 
disappeared  from  view.  From  the  look  of  things 
he  decided  that  Zeph  was  not  casually  stealing  a 
ride.  Something  about  him  suggested  a  sense  of 
proprietorship — a  certain  official  aspect  as  if  he 
had  a  right  to  be  where  Ralph  had  seen  him,  was, 
in  fact,  in  charge  of  the  car. 

"A  queer  car — the  queerest  old  relic  I  evef 
saw,"  mused  Ralph.  "I'm  going  to  look  into  this 
affair." 

"Say,  Mr.  Fairbanks,"  spoke  little  Torchy  as 
the  young  engineer  entered  the  roundhouse;  "just 
saw  an  old  friend  of  ours." 

"Did  you?"  spoke  Ralph.  "You  don't  mean 
Zeph  Dallas,  do  you?"' 

217 


218   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"That's  who,"  nodded  Torchy.  "Big  as  life 
on  a  single  car  run — and,  say,  such  a  car!" 

"Do  you  know  where  it  came  from,  or  where  it 
was  bound  for?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"No,  but  I  heard  one  of  the  fellows  here  say 
it  must  have  come  over  the  north  branch." 

"I  thought  so,  too,"  said  Ralph,  and  after  a 
stroll  about  the  place  he  went  down  to  the  dis- 
patcher's office.  Ralph  knew  the  railroad  routine 
well,  and  he  soon  had  a  good  friend  working  in 
his  interest.  He  was  one  of  the  assistants  in  the 
office  of  the  chief  dispatcher.  Ralph  had  loaned 
him  a  little  sum  of  money  once  when  he  was  off  on 
the  sick  list.  It  had  been  paid  back  promptly,  but 
the  man  was  a  grateful  fellow,  and,  under  the 
influence  of  a  sense  of  obligation,  was  glad  to 
return  the  favor  in  any  way  he  could. 

"I'll  fix  you  out,  Fairbanks,"  he  promised,  and 
he  kept  his  word,  for  as  Ralph  sat  in  the  doghouse 
two  mornings  later  the  man  came  to  its  doorway, 
peered  in,  and  beckoned  to  his  friend  to  come 
outside. 

"All  right,  Fairbanks,"  he  reported,  holding  a 
vard  in  his  hand  bearing  some  memoranda;  "I've 
got  the  tracer." 

"Good!"  applauded  Ralph. 

"Here's  the  dope — that  engine  and  old  tourist 
car  was  a  kind  of  a  special — the  craziest  spe- 


MYSTERY  219 

cial,  though,  that  either  you  or  I  ever  heard  of." 

"Is  that  so?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Listen,  and  see.  She  started  on  extra  orders 
from  Brampton,  the  yards  up  on  the  north  divi- 
sion. Was  chartered  for  a  run  via  the  Junction 
to  Fordham  spur." 

"Indeed?"  murmured  Ralph  thoughtfully. 

"It  was  a  plain  twenty-four  hours'  charter, 
same  as  a  picnic  or  an  excursion  special,  but  there 
was  only  one  passenger,  conductor,  or  whatever 
you  might  call  him — a  kid." 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph,  "Zeph  Dallas." 

"You  could  have  knocked  me  down  with  a 
feather  when  I  found  that  out,"  went  on  the  man 
from  the  dispatcher's  office,  "although  I  didn't 
find  it  out  until  later.  Yes,  the  train  had  been 
rented  and  paid  for  by  our  old  extra  wiper  here, 
that  dreamer,  kicker  and  would-be  detective,  Dal- 
las. A  pretty  penny  it  must  have  cost.  Where 
did  he  get  the  money?  Skylarking  around  the 
country  like  a  millionaire,  and  what  did  he  pick 
out  that  antiquated  curiosity  of  a  relic  car  for? 
Well,  it  was  the  'Dallas  Special,'  sure  enough,  and 
it  made  its  run  just  the  same  as  if  he  was  a  rail- 
road president  inspecting  the  lines." 

"I'm  interested,"  explained  Ralph. 

"I'm  jiggergasted,"  added  the  dispatcher;  "I 
got  the  line  on  their  route  by  wire  to  Brampton.    1 


220   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

found  that  the  contract  was  to  run  to  Fordham 
spur  and  back  to  Brampton." 

"But  what  for?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"To  deliver  some  special  freight  presumably," 
said  the  dispatcher.  "At  first  I  wondered  if 
thing's  mightn't  be  stirring  up  in  a  new  business 
way  at  the  old  factory.  Thought  maybe  they 
were  going  to  do  some  blasting,  and  Dallas  had 
been  hired  to  run  through  a  load  of  giant  powder. 
Well,  I  was  off  in  my  guess." 

"How  did  you  find  that  out?"  asked  Ralph. 

"I  caught  the  Brampton  outfit  on  the  return 
trip.  She  had  to  switch  here  for  an  hour  to  get 
the  right  of  way  north.  I  went  over  to  the  siding 
and  happened  to  know  the  engineer." 

"And  where  was  Zeph?" 

"They  left  him  up  at  the  spur." 

"H'm,"  commented  Ralph,  feeling  that  Zeph 
was  indeed  enveloping  himself  in  a  dense  mist  of 
mystery. 

"The  engineer  just  grinned  and  haw-hawed 
when  I  asked  him  about  his  run.  He  said  that 
Dallas  had  acted  like  a  fellow  on  the  most  serious 
business,  the  whole  run  through.  When  they  got 
to  the  spur  he  had  them  run  in  about  two  hundred 
feet.  Then  he  sat  down  by  the  side  of  the  track, 
Watch  in  hand,  solemnly  waited  for  an  hour  to 


MYSTERY  221 

pass  by,  and  then  told  the  engineer  the  trip  \va9 
ended  and  he  was  satisfied." 

"He     didn't     explain "     began     Ralph     in 

wonderment. 

"Not  a  word.  He  just  waved  his  hand  grandly 
good-by  to  the  engineer,  and  passed  out  of  sight. 
It  was  a  queer  go — wasn't  it,  now  ?  The  engineer 
and  fireman  were  dumfounded.  They  looked 
into  the  car  out  of  sheer  curiosity." 

"And  found?"  pressed  Ralph. 

"Nothing." 

"What!" 

"No — empty." 

Ralph  was  bewildered,  and  said  so.  The  dis- 
patcher acknowledged  the  same  sentiment,  so  had 
the  engineer  and  the  fireman,  he  said. 

"There  you  have  it,"  he  remarked.  "Queer 
go,  eh?" 

"The  strangest  I  ever  heard  of,"  confessed 
Ralph. 

"You  see,  there's  no  motive  to  trace,"  observed 
the  dispatcher  in  a  puzzled,  baffled  way.  "Think 
of  the  cost  of  it!  Think  of  the  mystery  about 
the  whole  affair!  What  is  Dallas  up  to,  and  why 
the  spur?" 

"I  don't  know,"  admitted  the  young  engineer, 
equally  perplexed,  "but  I'm  going  to  find  out, 
uiake  sure  of  that." 


222       RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Things  were  certainly  focussing  around  Ford« 
ham  spur,  there  was  no  doubt  of  it.  That  point  of 
the  road  was  a  decided  point  of  interest  to  Ralph 
every  time  the  Overland  Express  neared  the  spur 
on  succeeding  trips.  He  could  only  conjecture 
that  Zeph  and  the  Canaries  and  others  in  whom 
Zeph  was  interested,  were  located  somewhere  in 
the  vicinity.  However,  he  caught  no  sight  of  any 
person  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  spur  as  he 
passed  it.  The  thing  was  getting  to  be  a  worry 
to  the  young  engineer,  but  although  he  daily  prom- 
ised himself  he  would  manage  some  way  to  visit 
the  place,  no  favorable  opportunity  presented. 

The  run  to  Rockton  and  back  had  become 
harder  as  cold  weather  came  on.  There  was  a  call 
for  extra  vigilance  and  close  attention  to  routine. 
A  snowstorm  caught  them  one  night  on  the  out 
run,  and  Ralph  found  out  that  it  was  no  trifle  run- 
ning with  blurred  signals  among  the  deep  moun- 
tain cuts.  A  great  rain  followed,  then  a  freeze 
up,  then  another  heavy  fall  of  snow,  and  the  crew 
of  the  Overland  Express  had  a  rigorous  week 
of  it. 

They  had  made  the  run  to  Rockton  four  hours 
late  on  account  of  a  broken  bridge,  and  the  next 
evening  when  they  reported  at  the  roundhouse, 
engineer  and  fireman  found  a  cancelled  trip 
instead  of  readiness  for  their  regular  return  run 


MYSTERY  223 

to  Stanley  Junction.  The  foreman  was  busy  in 
his  office  at  the  telephone,  receiving  continual 
instructions  from  the  dispatcher.  He  was  sending 
men  and  messengers  in  every  direction.  The  exi- 
gencies of  the  hour  required  blockade  and  wreck< 
ing  crews.  The  foreman  looked  bothered  and 
worried,  and  nodded  to  Ralph  and  Fogg  in  a  seri- 
ous way  as  there  was  a  lull. at  the  'phone. 

"No  run  to-night,  boys,"  he  announced.  "You'd 
better  get  back  to  your  warm  beds." 

"Blockade  on  the  Mountain  Division?"  inquired 
the  fireman. 

"Worse  than  that.  The  whole  division  is 
annulled  this  side  of  Fordham,  and  that's  over 
half  the  run.  Two  bridges  down,  a  freight  wreck 
at  Wayne,  and  the  mountain  cuts  are  choked  with 
drifts.  I  doubt  if  you  will  break  through  for  a 
couple  of  nights." 

"H'm,"  observed  Fogg.  "I  fancied  to-day's 
storm  would  shut  up  things." 

"It  has.  We're  half  clear  south,  but  west  and 
north  there  isn't  a  wheel  moving  within  fifty 
miles." 

"We  may  as  well  make  the  best  of  it  then,  Fair- 
banks," said  the  fireman,  "and  get  back  to  our 
boarding  house." 

The  speaker  started  for  the  door  and  Ralph 
followed  him.     Just  then  with  a  sudden  roar  of 


22.4       RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAID  EXPRESS 

the  tempest  outside  the  door  was  swept  opea 
Two  snow-covered  forms  came  in. 

They  were  men  closely  muffled  up,  and  they 
paused  for  a  moment  to  shake  the  snow  from  their 
heavy  enveloping  overcoats.  The  foreman  stared 
curiously  at  the  intruders.  One  of  them  threw 
his  overcoat  open.  Fogg  grasped  Ralph's  arm 
with  a  start  as  he  seemed  to  recognize  the  man. 

"Hello!"  he  ejaculated  in  a  sharp  half  whisper. 
"What  does  this  mean,  Fairbanks?  It's  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Great  Northern." 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

THE  RAILROAD  PRESIDENT 

As  the  person  Fogg  designated  pushed  back  his 
storm  cap  and  came  under  the  light  of  a  bracket 
lamp,  Ralph  observed  that  the  fireman  had  been 
correct  in  his  surmise — it  was  Mr.  Robert  Grant, 
president  of  the  road.  He  busied  himself  remov- 
ing the  snow  from  his  garments  and  taking  in  the 
warmth  of  the  place,  while  his  companion  came 
forward  to  the  doghouse. 

Ralph  and  Fogg  drew  to  one  side,  curious  and 
interested.  They  now  recognized  the  man  who 
had  entered  the  roundhouse  with  the  president  as 
Lane,  superintendent  of  the  Mountain  Division  of 
the  Great  Northern.  His  manner  was  hurried, 
worried  and  serious.  A  big  load  of  responsibil- 
ity rested  on  his  official  shoulders,  and  he  realized 
it  and  showed  it.  He  nodded  brusquely  to  Ralph 
and  Fogg,  and  then  went  up  to  the  desk  where  the 
foreman  sat. 

225 


226   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Get  the  dispatcher's  office,  Jones,  and  get  it 
quick,"  he  spoke  tersely,  and  he  added  something 
in  an  undertone.  The  foreman  gave  a  slight  start. 
From  the  way  he  turned  and  stared  at  the  com- 
panion of  the  superintendent,  Ralph  could  trace 
that  he  had  just  been  informed  of  his  identity. 

"Here  you  are,"  said  the  foreman,  after  a  min- 
ute at  the  'phone  and  handing  the  receiver  to  the 
superintendent.  The  latter,  without  seating  him- 
self, instantly  called  over  the  wire  : 

"This  is  Superintendent  Lane.  I  want  the  chief 
dispatcher."  A  pause.  "That  you,  Martin? — 
Yes? — Hold  the  wire.  The  president  of  the  road 
wants  to  talk  with  you.    Mr.  Grant." 

Ralph  knew  the  railroad  president  quite  well. 
It  was  a  long  time  since  he  had  seen  him.  That 
was  at  headquarters,  after  Ralph  and  some  of  his 
railroad  friends  had  succeeded  in  rescuing  a  rel- 
ative of  the  official  from  a  band  of  blackmail- 
ers. Ralph  did  not  believe  that  the  president 
would  remember  him.  He  was  both  surprised  and 
pleased  when  the  official,  glancing  about  in  his 
keen,  quick  way,  smiled  and  mentioned  his  name 
in  greeting,  nodded  to  Fogg,  and  then  went  up  to 
the  foreman's  table. 

Spread  out  upon  this  was  an  outline  map  of  the 
great  Northern  and  all  its  branches.  The  foreman 
had  been  utilizing  it  as  an  exigency  chart.    He  had 


THE  RAILROAD  PRESIDENT  227 

three  pencils  beside  it — red,  green  and  bine,  and 
these  he  had  used  to  designate  by  a  sort  of  rail- 
road signal  system  the  condition  of  the  lines  run- 
ning out  of  Rockton.  Red  signified  a  wreck  or 
stalled  train,  green  snow  blockades,  blue  bridges 
down  and  culverts  under  water.  The  map  was 
criss-crossed  with  other  special  marks,  indicating 
obstructions,  flood  damage  and  the  location  of 
wrecking  crews. 

"As  bad  as  that!"  commented  the  president  in  a 
grave  tone,  with  a  comprehensive  glance  over  the 
chart.     Then  he  picked  up  the  receiver. 

"Martin,  chief  dispatcher,"  he  spoke  through 
the  'phone.  "Give  me  the  situation  over  the 
Mountain  Division  in  a  nutshell." 

What  followed  took  barely  sixty  seconds.  The 
information  must  have  been  as  distressing  as  it 
was  definite,  for  Ralph  noticed  a  deeper  concern 
than  ever  come  over  the  serious  face  of  the  official. 

"How's  the  South  Branch?"  he  inquired  next. 

"It's  useless,  Mr.  Grant,  "put  in  the  superinten- 
dent, as  the  president  dropped  the  receiver  with  a 
disappointed  and  anxious  sigh.  After  receiving 
some  further  information  he  again  swept  his  eye 
over  the  map  on  the  table.  His  fingers  mechani- 
cally followed  the  various  divisions  outlined  there. 
The  foreman  came  to  his  side. 

"Excuse  me,  Mr.  Grant,"  he  spoke  respectfully, 


228   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"but  I'm  in  pretty  close  touch  with  conditions 
along  the  lines.     I  f  I  can  explain  anything " 

"You  can.  That  is  the  old  Shelby  division?" 
inquired  the  official,  his  linger  point  resting"  on  a 
line  on  the  chart  running  due  southeast  hetween 
the  Mountain  Division  and  the  South  Branch  out 
of  Rockton. 

"Yes,  sir,"  assented  the  foreman  proudly. 
"You  know  it  has  been  practically  abandoned 
except  for  coal  freight,  since  the  south  line  was 
completed.  It's  used  as  a  belt  line  now — transfer 
at  Shelby  Junction." 

"What's  the  condition." 

"Risky.  We  sent  a  freight  over  this  morning. 
It  got  through  four  hours  late." 

"But  it  got  through,  you  say?"  spoke  the  official 
tarnestly.  "Get  the  dispatcher  again.  Ask  for 
details  on  that  division.    Don't  lose  any  time." 

The  foreman  was  busy  at  the  'phone  for  some 
minutes.  As  he  held  the  receiver  suspended  in  his 
hand,  he  reported  to  the  railroad  president: 

"Snow  and  drifting  wind  reported  between 
here  and  Dun  wood." 

"What  else?" 

"Look  out  for  washouts  and  culverts  and 
bridges  damaged  by  running  ice  and  watef 
between  Dunwood  and  Kingston." 


THE  RAILROAD  PRESIDENT  229 

"That's  half  the  forty-five  miles — go  head." 

"Between  Kingston  and  Shelby  junction  water 
out  over  the  bottoms  and  flood  coming  down  the 
valley." 

"What's  on  the  schedule?" 

"All  schedules  cancelled,  not  a  wheel  running 
except  on  instructions  from  this  end." 

"Give  them,"  spoke  the  official  sharply.  "Tell 
the  dispatcher  to  keep  the  line  clear  from  end  to 
end.  Wire  to  the  stations  that  a  special  is  coming 
through,  no  stops." 

"Yes,  sir,"  assented  the  foreman  in  wonder- 
ment, and  executed  the  order.  The  official  stood 
by  his  side  until  he  had  completed  the  message. 
Then  he  said : 

"Tell  the  dispatcher  to  get  Clay  City,  and  find 
®ut  if  the  Midland  Express  over  the  Midland  Cen- 
tral left  on  time." 

"On  time,  sir,  and  their  road  is  not  much  ham- 
pered." reported  the  foreman  a  few  minutes  later. 

"All  right,"  nodded  the  official  briskly.  "Now 
then,  get  out  your  best  locomotive.  Give  her  a 
shallow  caboose,  and  get  her  ready  as  speedily  as 
you  can." 

The  foreman  ran  out  into  the  roundhouse.  The 
president  took  out  his  watch.  To  the  infinite  sur- 
prise of  Ralph  he  called  out : 


230   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"This  way,  Fairbanks." 

He  placed  a  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  the  young 
engineer  and  looked  him  earnestly  in  the  eye. 

"I  know  you  and  your  record,"  he  said.  "Is 
that  your  regular  fireman?"  indicating  Fogg. 

"Yes,  sir,  Lemuel  Fogg.  We're  on  No.  999, 
Overland  Express." 

"Yes,  yes,  I  know,"  spoke  Mr.  Grant  hurriedly. 
"Mr.  Fogg!" 

The  fireman  approached  promptly. 

"My  friends,"  continued  the  official  rapidly  to 
both.  "I  have  got  to  reach  Shelby  station  by 
10.15.  I  must  catch  the  Night  Express  on  the 
Midland  Central  at  that  point — without  fail," 
added  Mr.  Grant  with  emphasis. 

"Yes,  sir,"  nodded  Fogg  coolly. 

"One  minute  late  means  the  loss  of  a  great  big 
fortune  to  the  Great  Northern.  The  minute  on 
time  means  anything  in  reason  you  two  may  ask, 
if  you  make  the  run." 

"We  are  here  to  make  the  run,  Mr.  Grant,  if 
you  say  so."  observed  Ralph. 

"Sure,"  supplemented  Fogg,  taking  off"  his  coat. 
"Is  that  the  order,  sir?" 

"I  haven't  the  heart  to  order  any  man  on  a  run 
a  night  like  this,'  responded  the  official,  "but  if 
you  mean  it " 


THE  RAILROAD  PRESIDENT  231 

"Fairbanks,"  shot  out  the  fireman,  all  fire  and 
energy,  "I'll  get  999  ready  for  your  orders,"  and 
he  was  out  into  the  roundhouse  after  the  fore- 
man in  a  flash. 

"Mr.  Grant,  you're  taking  a  long  chance,"  sug- 
gested the  division  superintendent,  coming  up  to 
where  the  president  and  Ralph  stood. 

"Yes,  and  it  must  be  any  chances,  Fairbanks," 
said  the  official.  He  was  becoming  more  and  more 
excited  each  succeeding  minute.  "I'm  too  old  a 
railroader  not  to  know  what  the  run  means.  If 
you  start,  no  flinching.  It's  life  or  death  to  the 
-Mountain  Division,  what  you  do  this  night." 

"The  Mountain  Division?"  repeated  Ralph, 
mystified. 

"Yes.  It's  an  official  secret,  but  I  trusted  you 
once.  I  can  trust  you  now."  Mr.  Grant  drew  a 
folded  paper  from  his  pocket.  "The  president  of 
the  Midland  Central  is  on  the  Night  Express, 
returning  from  the  west.  The  document  I  show 
you  must  be  signed  before  he  reaches  the  city, 
before  midnight,  or  we  lose  the  right  to  run  over 
the  Mountain  Division.  If  he  once  reaches  the 
city,  interests  adverse  to  the  Great  Northern  will 
influence  him  to  repudiate  the  contract,  which 
only  awaits  his  signature  to  make  it  valid.  He 
will  sign  it  if  I  can  intercept  him.    Can  you  make 


o;;o   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

Shelby  Junct'on,  ninety  miles  away,  in  two  hours 
and  fifteen  minutes?" 

"I  will  make  Shelby  Junction  ahead  of  the 
Night  Express,"  replied  Ralph  calmly,  but  with 
his  heart  beating  like  a  triphammer,  "or  I'll  go 
down  with  999." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

A    RACE   AGAINST    TIME 

There  was  a  thrill  and  fervor  to  the  present 
situation  that  appealed  to  Ralph  mightily.  The 
brisk,  animated  procedure  of  the  president  of  the 
Great  Northern  had  been  one  of  excitement  and 
interest,  and  at  its  climax  the  young  engineer 
found  himself  stirred  up  strongly. 

Air.  Grant  smiled  slightly  at  Ralph's  valiant 
declaration.  He  drew  the  division  superintendent 
aside  in  confidential  discourse,  and  Ralph  went 
to  the  bulletin  board  and  began  studying  the  route- 
ing  of  the  Shelby  division.  Then  he  hurried  out 
into  the  roundhouse. 

Xo.  999  was  steamed  up  quickly.  Ralph  put  the 
cab  in  rapid  order  for  a  hard  run.  The  foreman 
hurried  back  to  his  office  and  telephoned  to  the 
yards.  When  Xo.  999  ran  out  on  the  turntable 
it  was  the  foreman  himself  who  opened  the  pon- 
derous outside  doors. 

"It's  some  weather,"  observed  Fogg,  as  the 
233 


0-4   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAID  EXPRESS 

giant  locomotive  swung  out  into  the  heart  of  a 
driving  tempest. 

The  foreman  directed  their  movements  to  a 
track  where  a  plug  engine  had  just  backed  in  with 
a  light  caboose  car.  There  was  no  air  brake 
attachment  and  the  coupling  was  done  quickly. 

"All  ready,"  reported  Ralph,  as  Mr.  Grant  came 
:ip  with  the  division  superintendent. 

The  railroad  president  stepped  to  the  platform 
of  the  caboose,  spoke  a  few  words  to  his  recent 
companion  in  parting,  and  waved  his  hand  signal- 
like for  the  start. 

Fogg  had  been  over  the  Shelby  division  several 
times,  only  once,  however,  on  duty.  He  knew  its 
"bad  spots,"  and  he  tried  to  tell  his  engineer  about 
them  as  they  steamed  off  the  main  track. 

"There's  just  three  stations  the  whole  stretch." 
he  reported,  "and  the  tracks  are  clear — that's  one 
good  point." 

"Yes,  it  is  only  obstruction  and  breakdowns  we 
have  to  look  out  for,"  said  Ralph.  "Give  us 
plenty  of  steam,  Mr.  Fogg." 

"There's  heaps  of  fuel — a  good  six  tons,"  spoke 
the  fireman.  "My!  but  the  stack  pulls  like  a  bhst 
furnace." 

The  cab  curtains  were  closely  fastened.  It  was 
a.  terrible  night.  The  snow  came  in  sheets  like 
birdshot,  a  half-sleet  that  stung  like  hail  as  it  cut 


A  RACE  AGAINST  TIME  235 

the  face.  The  rails  were  crusted  with  ice  and  the 
sounds  and  shocks  at  curves  and  splits  were  omin- 
oas.  At  times  when  they  breasted  the  wind  full 
front  it  seemed  as  if  a  tornado  was  tugging  at  the 
forlorn  messenger  of  the  night,  to  blow  the  little 
train  from  the  rails. 

Fogg  stoked  the  fire  continuously,  giving  a 
superabundant  power  that  made  the  exhaust  pop 
off  in  a  deafening  hiss.  They  ran  the  first  ten 
miles  in  twelve  minutes  and  a  half.  Then  as  they 
rounded  to  the  first  station  on  the  run,  they  were 
surprised  to  receive  the  stop  signal. 

"That's  bad,"  muttered  the  fireman,  as  they 
slowed  down.  "Orders  were  for  no  stops,  so  this 
must  mean  r  Dme  kind  of  trouble  ahead." 

^What's  this?"  spoke  Mr.  Grant  sharply,, 
appearing  on  the  platform  from  the  lighted 
caboose.  He  held  his  watch  in  his  hand,  and  his 
pale  face  showed  his  anxiety  and  how  he  was  evi- 
dently counting  the  minutes. 

An  operator  ran  out  from  the  station  and 
handed  a  tissue  sheet  to  Ralph.  The  latter  read 
it  by  the  light  of  the  cab  lantern.  Mr.  Grant 
stepped  down  from  the  platform  of  the  caboose. 

"What  is  it,  Fairbanks?"  he  asked  somewhat 
impatiently. 

"There's  a  great  jam  at  the  dam  near  West- 
brook,"  reported  Ralph.     "Driftwood  has  crossn5 


236        RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

the  tracks  near  there,  and  the  operator  beyond 
says  it  will  be  a  blockade  if  the  dam  breaks.'* 

"Are  von  willing  to  risk  it?"  inquired  the 
official. 

"That's  what  we  are  here  for,"  asserted  Ralph. 

"Then  don't  delay." 

"It's  getting  worse  and  worse!"  exclaimed 
Fogg,  after  a  half-hour's  further  running. 

Ralph  never  forgot  that  vital  hour  in  his  young 
railroad  experience.  They  were  facing  peril,  they 
were  grazing  death,  and  both  knew  it.  The  wind 
was  a  hurricane.  The  snow  came  in  great  sheets 
that  at  times  enveloped  them  in  a  whirling  cloud 
The  wheels  crunched  and  slid,  and  the  pilot  threw 
up  ice  and  snow  in  a  regular  cascade. 

There  was  a  sickening  slew  to  the  great  loco- 
motive as  they  neared  Westbrook.  The  track 
dropped  here  to  take  the  bridge  grade,  and  as  they 
struck  the  trestle  Fogg  uttered  a  sharp  yell  and 
peered  ahead. 

"We  can't  stop  now!"  he  shouted:  "put  on 
every  pound  of  steam.  Fairbanks." 

Ralph  was  cool  and  collected.  He  gripped  the 
lever,  his  nerves  set  like  iron,  but  an  awed  look 
came  into  his  eyes  as  they  swept  the  expanse  that 
the  valley  opened  up. 

The  trestle  was  fully  half  a  foot  under  water 
already,    and    the    volume    was   increasing   every 


A  RACE  AGAINST  TIME  237 

moment.  Fogg-  piled  on  the  coal,  which  seemed  to 
burn  like  tinder.  Twice  a  great  jar  sent  him 
sprawling  back  among  the  coal  of  the  tender.  The 
shocks  were  caused  by  great  cakes  of  ice  or  stray 
timbers  shooting  down  stream  with  the  gather- 
ing flood,  and  sliding  the  rails. 

"She's  broke!"  he  panted  in  a  hushed,  hoarse 
whisper,  as  they  caught  sight  of  the  dam.  There 
was  a  hole  in  its  center,  and  through  this  came 
pouring  a  vast  towering  mass  fully  fifteen  feet 
high,  crashing  down  on  the  bridge  side  of  the  ob- 
struction, shooting  mammoth  bergs  of  ice  into  the 
air.  As  the  sides  of  the  dam  gave  way,  they  were 
fairly  half-way  over  the  trestle.  It  seemed  that 
the  roaring,  swooping  mass  would  overtake  them 
before  they  could  clear  the  bridge. 

The  light  caboose  was  swinging  after  its  groan- 
ing pilot  like  the  tail  of  a  kite.  A  whiplash  sway 
and  quiver  caused  Ralph  to  turn  his  head. 

The  door  of  the  caboose  was  open,  and  the  light 
streaming  from  within  showed  the  railroad  presi- 
dent clinging  to  the  platform  railing,  swaying 
from  side  to  side.  He  evidently  realized  the  peril 
of  the  moment,  and  stood  ready  to  jump  if  a  crash 
came. 

A  sudden  shock  sent  the  fireman  reeling  back, 
and  Ralph  was  nearly  thrown  from  his  seat.  The 
locomotive  was  bumping  over  a  floating  piece  of 


238   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

timber  of  unusual  size,  and  toppling  dangerously. 
Then  there  came  a  snap.  The  monster  engine 
made  a  leap  as  if  freed  from  some  incubus. 

"The  caboose!"  screamed  Fogg,  and  Ralph  felt 
a  shudder  cross  his  frame.  He  could  only  risk  a 
flashing  glance  backward — the  caboose  was  gone! 
It  had  broken  couplings,  and  had  made  a  dive 
down  through  the  flood  rack  clear  to  the  bottom 
of  the  river,  out  of  sight.  Then  No.  999  struck 
the  edge  of  the  up  grade  in  safety,  past  the  dan- 
ger line,  gliding  along  on  clear  tracks  now. 

Fogg  stood  panting  for  breath,  clinging  to  his 
seat,  a  wild  horror  in  his  eyes.  Ralph  uttered  a 
groan.  His  hand  gripped  to  pull  to  stop,  ~  Aarp 
shout  thrilled  through  every  nerve  a  message  of 
gladness  and  joy. 

"Good  for  you — we've  made  it!" 

The  railroad  president  came  sliding  down  the 
diminished  coal  heap  at  the  rear  of  the  tender. 
He  had  grasped  its  rear  end,  and  had  climbed  over 
it  just  as  the  caboose  went  hurtling  to  destruction. 
The  glad  delight  and  relief  in  the  eyes  of  the 
young  engineer  revealed  to  the  official  fully  his 
loyal  friendship.  Fogg,  catching  sight  of  him, 
helped  him  to  his  feet  with  a  wild  hurrah.  The 
fireman's  face  shone  with  new  life  as  he  swung  to 
his  work  at  the  coal  heap. 


A  RACE  AGAINST  TIME  239 

"If  we  can  only  make  it — oh,  we've  got  to  make 
it  now  !"  he  shouted  at  Ralph. 

There  was  a  sharp  run  of  nearly  an  hour.  It 
was  along  the  lee  side  of  a  series  of  cuts,  and  the 
snow  was  mainly  massed  on  the  opposite  set  of 
rails.     Ralph  glanced  at  the  clock. 

"We're   ahead   of   calculations,"   he    spoke   to 

1  utefc>- 

"We're  in  for  another  struggle,  though," 
announced  the  fireman.  "When  we  strike  the  low- 
lands just  beyond  Lisle,  we'll  catch  it  harder  than 
ever." 

Ralph  was  reeking  with  perspiration,  his  eyes 
cinder-filled  and  glazed  with  the  strain  of  continu- 
ally watching  ahead.  There  had  not  been  a  sin- 
gle minute  of  relief  from  duty  all  the  way  from 
Westbrook.  They  struck  the  lowlands.  It  was  a 
ten-mile  run.  First  it  was  a  great  snowdrift,  then 
a  dive  across  a  trembling  culvert.  At  one  point 
the  water  and  slush  pounded  up  clear  across  the 
floor  of  the  cab  and  nearly  put  out  the  fire.  As 
No.  999  rounded  to  higher  grade,  a  tree  half 
blown  down  from  the  top  of  an  embankment 
grazed  the  locomotive,  smashing  the  headlight  and 
cutting  off  half  the  smokestack  clean  as  a  knife 
stroke. 

Ralph  made  no  stop  for  either  inspection  of 


240   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

repairs.  A  few  minutes  later  an  incident  occurred 
which  made  the  occasion  fairly  bristle  with  new 
animation  and  excitement. 

Mr.  Grant  had  sat  quietly  in  the  fireman's  seat. 
Now  he  leaned  over  towards  Ralph,  pointing 
eagerly  through  the  side  window. 

"I  see,"  said  Ralph  above  the  deafening  roar 
of  the  wind  and  the  grinding  wheels,  "the  Night 
Express." 

They  could  see  the  lights  of  the  train  ever  and 
anon  across  an  open  space  where,  about  a  mile  dis- 
tant, the  tracks  of  the  Midland  Central  paralleled 
those  of  the  Shelby  division  of  the  Great  North- 
ern. The  young  engineer  again  glanced  at  the 
clock.  His  eye  brightened,  into  his  face  came  the 
most  extravagant  soul  of  hope.  It  was  dashed 
somewhat  as  Fogg,  feeding  the  furnace  and  clos- 
ing the  door,  leaned  towards  him  with  the  words : 

"The  last  shovel  full." 

"You  don't  mean  it !"  exclaimed  Ralph. 

The  fireman  swept  his  hand  towards  the  empty 
tender. 

"Eight  miles,"  said  Ralph  in  an  anxious  tone. 
"With  full  steam  we  could  have  reached  the  Junc- 
tion ten  minutes  ahead  of  the  Express.  Will  the 
fire  last  out?" 

"I'll    mend    it    some,"    declared    the    firemaa 


A  RACE  AGAINST  TIME  241 

"Fairbanks,  we  might  lighten  the  load,"  he  added. 

"You  mean " 

"The  tender." 

"Yes,"  said  Ralph,  "cut  it  loose,"  and  a  minute 
later  the  railroad  president  uttered  a  sudden  cry 
as  the  tender  shot  into  the  distance,  uncoupled. 
Then  he  understood,  and  smiled  excitedly.  And 
then,  as  Fogg  reached  under  his  seat,  pulled  out  a 
great  bundle  of  waste  and  two  oil  cans,  and  flung 
them  into  the  furnace,  he  realized  the  desperate 
straits  at  which  they  had  arrived  and  their  forlorr, 
plight. 

Conserving  every  ounce  of  steam,  all  of  his 
nerves  on  edge,  the  young  engineer  drove  No.  999 
forward  like  some  trained  steed.  As  they  rounded 
a  hill  just  outside  of  Shelby  Junction,  they  could 
see  the  Night  Express  steaming  down  its  tracks, 
one  mile  aw  a}'. 

"We've  made  it!"  declared  Ralph,  as  they  came 
within  whistling  distance  of  the  tower  at  the  inter- 
locking rails  where  the  two  lines  crossed. 

"Say,"  yelled  Fogg  suddenly,  ''they've  given  the 
Express  the  right  of  way." 

This  was  true.  Out  flashed  the  stop  signal  for 
No.  999,  and  the  white  gave  the  "come  on"  to 
the  Night  Express.  There  was  no  time  to  get  to 
the  tower  and  try  to  influence  the  towerman  to 


242        RALPH  OX  THE  Ol'ERLAND  EXPRESS 

cancel  system  at  the  behest  of  a  railroad  president. 

"You  must  stop  that  train!"  rang  out  the  tones 
of  the  official  sharply. 

"I'm  going  to."  replied  Fairbanks  grimly. 

He  never  eased  up  on  No.  999.  Past  the  tower 
she  slid.  Then  a  glowing  let  up.  and  then,  dis- 
regarding the  lowered  gates,  she  crashed  straight 
through  them,  reducing  them  to  kindling  wood. 

Squarely  across  the  tracks  of  the  incoming  train 
the  giant  engine,  battered,  ice-coated,  the  sem- 
blance of  a  brave  wreck,  was  halted.  There  sta 
stood,  a  barrier  to  the  oncoming  Express. 

Ralph  jumped  from  his  seat,  reached  under  it, 
pulled  out  a  whole  bunch  of  red  fuses,  lit  them, 
and  leaning  out  from  the  cab  flared  them  towards 
the  oncoming  train,  Roman-candle  fashion. 

The  astonished  towerman  quickly  changed  the 
semaphore  signals.  Her  nose  almost  touching  No. 
999,  the  Express  locomotive  panted  down  to  a 
halt. 

"You  shall  hear  from  me,  my  men,"  spoke  the 
railroad  president  simply,  but  with  a  great  quiver 
in  his  voice,  as  he  leaped  from  the  cab,  ran  to  the 
first  car  of  the  halted  express  and  climbed  to  its 
platform. 

Ralph  drove  No.  999  across  the  switches.  The 
Express  started  on  its  way  again.     In  what  wa» 


A  RACE  AGAINST  TIME  243 

the  proudest  moment  of  his  young  life,  the  loyal 
engineer  of  staunch,  faithful  No.  999  saw  the 
president  of  the  Great  Northern  take  off  his  hat 
and  wave  it  towards  himself  and  Fogg,  as  if  with 
an  enthusiastic  cheer. 


246   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"Remarkably  so,"  assented  Ralph. 

"I've  got  to  get  to  the  roundhouse,"  explained 
the  little  fellow,  turning  back  in  his  tracks. 
"Thought  you'd  want  to  know  about  that  car, 
though." 

"I  do,  most  emphatically,"  declared  Ralph,  "and 
greatly  obliged  to  you  for  thinking  of  it." 

Ralph  approached  the  train  on  the  siding.  It 
was  one  of  the  queerest  he  had  ever  seen.  There 
was  a  motley  gathering  of  every  class  of  freight 
cars  on  the  line.  As  he  passed  along  he  noted  the 
destination  of  some  of  the  cars.  No  two  were 
marked  for  the  same  point  of  delivery.  It  was 
easy  to  surmise  that  they  were  victims  of  the 
recent  blockade. 

Ralph  came  up  to  the  rear  car  of  the  incongru. 
ous  train  with  a  good  deal  of  curiosity.  It  was 
not  the  car  that  had  made  that  mysterious  run  to 
Fordham  Spur  with  Zeph  Dallas,  although  it 
looked  exactly  like  it.  The  present  car  was  newer 
and  more  staunch.  A  fresh  discovery  made  Ralph 
think  hard.  The  car  was  classified  as  "fast 
freight,"  and  across  one  end  was  chalked  its  pre- 
sumable destination. 

"Fordham  Spur,"  read  the  young  engineer. 
"Queer — the  same  as  the  other  car.  I  wonder 
what's  aboard?" 

Just  like  the  other  car,  the  curtains  were  closely 


ZEPH  DALLAS  AGAIN  247 

drawn  in  this  one.  There  was  no  sign  of  life 
ubout  the  present  car,  however.  Smoke  curled 
from  a  pipe  coming  up  through  its  roof.  No  one 
Ivas  visible  in  the  immediate  vicinity  except  a  flag- 
man and  some  loiterers  about  a  near  switch  shanty. 
Ralph  stepped  to  the  rear  platform  of  the  car.  He 
placed  his  hand  on  the  door  knob,  turned  it,  and 
to  his  surprise  and  satisfaction  the  door  opened 
unresistingly. 

He  stepped  inside,  to  find  himself  in  a  queer  sit- 
uation. Ralph  stood  in  the  rear  partitioned-off 
tnd  of  the  car.  It  resembled  a  homelike  kitchen. 
An  oil  stove  stood  on  a  stand,  and  around  two 
Sides  of  the  car  were  shelves  full  of  canisters, 
boxes  and  cans,  a  goodly  array  of  convenient  eat- 
ables. Lying  asleep  across  a  bench  was  a  young 
colored  man,  who  wore  the  cap  and  apron  of  a 
dining-car  cook. 

Ralph  felt  that  he  was  intruding,  but  his  curi- 
osity overcame  him.  He  stepped  to  the  door  of 
the  partition.  Near  its  top  was  a  small  pane  of 
glass,  and  through  this  Ralph  peered. 

"I  declare!"  he  exclaimed  under  his  breath,  and 
frith  a  great  start. 

A  strange,  vivid  picture  greeted  the  astonished 
vision  of  the  young  railroader.  If  the  rear  part  of 
the  tourist  car  had  suggested  a  modern  kitchen, 
the    front   portion   was   a    well-appointed   living 


246        RALPH  OX  THE  OVERL/tVf.  X.XPRF.SS 

"Remarkably  so,"  assented  Ralph. 

"I've  got  to  get  to  the  roundhouse,"  explained 
the  little  fellow,  turning  back  in  his  tracks. 
"Thought  you'd  want  to  know  about  that  car, 
though." 

"I  do,  most  emphatically,"  declared  Ralph,  "and 
greatly  obliged  to  you  for  thinking  of  it." 

Ralph  approached  the  train  on  the  siding.  Il 
was  one  of  the  queerest  he  had  ever  seen.  There 
was  a  motley  gathering  of  every  class  of  freight 
cars  on  the  line.  As  he  passed  along  he  noted  the 
destination  of  some  of  the  cars.  No  two  were 
marked  for  the  same  point  of  delivery.  It  was 
easy  to  surmise  that  they  were  victims  of  the 
recent  blockade. 

Ralph  came  up  to  the  rear  car  of  the  incongru- 
ous train  with  a  good  deal  of  curiosity.  It  was 
not  the  car  that  had  made  that  mysterious  run  to 
Fordham  Spur  with  Zeph  Dallas,  although  it 
looked  exactly  like  it.  The  present  car  was  newer 
and  more  staunch.  A  fresh  discovery  made  Ralph 
think  hard.  The  car  was  classified  as  "fast 
freight,"  and  across  one  end  was  chalked  its  pre- 
sumable destination. 

"Fordham  Spur,"  read  the  young  engineer. 
"Queer — the  same  as  the  other  car.  I  wonder 
what's  aboard?" 

Just  like  the  other  car,  the  curtains  were  closely 


ZEPH  DALLAS  AGAIN  247 

drawn  in  this  one.  There  was  no  sign  of  life 
about  the  present  car,  however.  Smoke  curled 
from  a  pipe  coming  up  through  its  roof.  No  one 
was  visible  in  the  immediate  vicinity  except  a  flag- 
man and  some  loiterers  about  a  near  switch  shanty. 
Ralph  stepped  to  the  rear  platform  of  the  car.  He 
placed  his  hand  on  the  door  knob,  turned  it,  and 
to  his  surprise  and  satisfaction  the  door  opened 
unresistingly. 

He  stepped  inside,  to  find  himself  in  a  queer  sit- 
uation. Ralph  stood  in  the  rear  partitioned-off 
end  of  the  car.  It  resembled  a  homelike  kitchen. 
An  oil  stove  stood  on  a  stand,  and  around  two 
sides  of  the  car  were  shelves  full  of  canisters, 
boxes  and  cans,  a  goodly  array  of  convenient  eat- 
ables. Lying  asleep  across  a  bench  was  a  young 
colored  man,  who  wore  the  cap  and  apron  of  a 
dining-car  cook. 

Ralph  felt  that  he  was  intruding,  but  his  curi- 
osity overcame  him.  He  stepped  to  the  door  of 
the  partition.  Near  its  top  was  a  small  pane  of 
glass,  and  through  this  Ralph  peered. 

"I  declare!"  he  exclaimed  under  his  breath,  and 
faith  a  great  start. 

A  strange,  vivid  picture  greeted  the  astonished 
vision  of  the  young  railroader.  If  the  rear  part  of 
the  tourist  car  had  suggested  a  modern  kitchen, 
the    front   portion   was   a    well-appointed   living 


248   RALPH  OX  TUB  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

room.  It  had  a  stove  in  its  center,  and  surround 
ing  this  were  all  the  comforts  of  a  home.  Thert 
was  a  bed,  several  couches,  easy  chairs,  two  illum- 
inated lamps  suspended  from  side  brackets,  and 
the  floor  was  covered  with  soft,  heavy  rugs. 

Upon  one  of  the  couches  lay  a  second  colored 
man,  apparently  a  special  car  porter,  and  he,  like 
the  cook,  was  fast  asleep.  All  that  Ralph  had  so 
far  seen,  however,  was  nothing  to  what  greeted 
his  sight  as  his  eyes  rested  on  the  extreme  front 
of  the  car. 

There,  lying  back  in  a  great  luxurious  armchair, 
was  a  preternaturally  thin  and  sallow-faced  man. 
His  pose  and  appearance  suggested  the  invalid  of 
the  convalescent.  lie  lay  as  if  half  dozing,  and 
from  his  lips  ran  a  heavy  tube,  connected  with  a 
great  glass  tank  at  his  side. 

Such  a  picture  the  mystified  Ralph  had  never 
seen  before.  He  could  not  take  in  its  full  mean» 
ing  all  in  a  minute.  His  puzzled  mind  went  grop- 
ing for  some  reasonable  solution  of  the  enigma. 
Before  he  could  think  things  out,  however,  thert 
was  a  sound  at  the  rear  door  of  the  car.  Somt 
one  on  the  platform  outside  had  turned  the  knob 
and  held  the  door  about  an  inch  ajar,  and  Ralph 
glided  towards  it.  Through  the  crack  he  could 
see  three  persons  plainly.  Ralph  viewed  them 
with  wonderment. 


ZEPH  DALLAS  AGAIN  249 

He  had  half  anticipated  running  across  Zeph 
Dallas  somewhere  about  the  train,  but  never  this 
trio — Ike  Slump,  Jim  Evans  and  the  man  he  had 
known  as  Lord  Montague.  The  two  latter  were 
standing  in  the  snow.  Ike  was  on  the  platform. 
He  was  asking  a  question  of  the  man  who  had 
posed  as  a  member  of  the  English  nobility : 

"Be  quick.  Morris;  what  am  I  to  do?" 

Lord  Montague,  alias  Morris,  with  a  keen 
glance  about  him,  drew  a  heavy  coupling  pin  from 
under  his  coat. 

"Take  it,"  he  said  hastily,  "and  get  inside  that 
car." 

"Suppose  there's  somebody  hinders  me?" 

"Didn't  I  tell  you  they  were  all  asleep?'* 
demanded  Morris.  "You'll  find  a  man  near  a  big 
glass  tank." 

"See  here,"  demurred  Ike;  "I  don't  want  to  get 
into  any  more  trouble.  When  it  comes  to  striking 
a  man  with  that  murderous  weapon " 

"Murderous  fiddlesticks !"  interrupted  Morris. 
"You  are  to  hurt  nobody.  Smash  the  tank,  that's 
all — run  out,  join  us,  and  it's  a  hundred  dollars 
cash  on  the  spot,  and  a  thousand  when  I  get  my 
fortune." 

"Here  goes,  then,"  announced  Ike  Slump,  push- 
in,0-  open  the  door,  "but  what  you  want  to  go  to  all 


250   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

this  risk  and  trouble  for  to  smash  an  old  glass 
tank,  I  can't  imagine.'' 

"You'll  know  later,"  muttered  Morris  grimly. 

Ralph  did  not  know  what  the  three  rascals  were 
up  to,  but  he  realized  that  it  must  be  something 
bad.  Putting  two  and  two  together,  thinking 
back  a  bit  of  all  that  had  occurred  concerning 
Zeph,  the  Clark  boy,  and  the  Slump  crowd,  he 
began  to  fancy  that  tourist  cars  played  a  big  part 
in  the  programme,  whatever  that  progarmme  was. 
The  smashing  of  the  glass  tank,  Morris  had 
announced,  was  worth  a  hundred  dollars  to  Ike 
— might  lead  to  a  fortune,  he  had  intimated. 

"There's  some  wicked  plot  afoot,''  decided 
Ralph,  "so — back  you  go,  Ike  Slump!" 

As  Ike  stepped  across  the  threshold  of  the  car 
the  young  engineer  acted.  He  had  grabbed  the: 
coupling  pin  from  Ike's  hand,  dropped  it,  grasped 
Ike  next  with  both  hands  and  pressed  him  back' 
wards  to  the  platform.  Ike  struggled  and  him- 
self got  a  grip  on  Ralph.  The  latter  kept  forcing 
his  opponent  backwards.  Ike  slipped  and  went 
through  the  break  in  the  platform  railing  where 
the  guard  chain  was  unset,  and  both  toppled  to  the 
ground  submerged  in  three  feet  of  snow. 

Ralph  had  landed  on  top  of  Ike  and  he  held  him 
down,  but  the  cries  of  his  adversary  had  brought 
Evans  and  Morris  to  his  rescue.    The  former  was 


IEPH  DALLAS  AGAIN  9.51 

pouncing  down  upon  Ralph  with  vicious  design 
in  his  evil  face,  when  a  new  actor  appeared  on  the 
«cene. 

It  was  Zeph  Dallas.  He  came  running  to  the 
spot  with  his  arms  full  of  packages,  apparently 
some  supplies  for  the  tourist  car  which  he  had  just 
purchased  of  some  store  on  Railroad  Street. 
These  he  dropped  and  his  hand  went  to  his  coat 
pocket.  The  amateur  detective  was  quite  as  prac- 
tical and  businesslike  as  did  he  appear  heroic,  as 
he  drew  out  a  weapon. 

"Leave  that  fellow  alone,  stand  still,  or  you're 
goners,  both  of  you,"  panted  Zeph.  "Hi!  hello! 
•stop  those  men!  They're  conspirers,  they're 
villains!" 

Zeph's  fierce  shouts  rang  out  like  clarion  notes. 
They  attracted  the  attention  of  the  crowd  around 
the  switch  shanty,  and  as  Evans  and  Morris 
started  on  a  run  three  or  four  of  the  railroad 
loiterers  started  to  check  their  flight.  As  Zeph 
helped  Ralph  yank  Ike  Slump  to  his  feet  and  drag 
him  along,  the  young  engineer  observed  that 
Evans  and  Morris  were  in  the  custody  of  the 
switch  shanty  crowd. 

Two  men  coming  down  the  track  hastened  over 
to  the  crowd.  Ralph  was  glad  to  recognize  them 
is  Bob  Adair,  the  road  detective,  and  one  of  the 
yards  watchmen. 


252   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAID  EXPRESS 

"What's  the  trouble  here,  Fairbanks?"  inquired 
Adair,  with  whom  the  young  engineer  was  a  prime 
favorite  and  an  oldtime  friend. 

"Dallas  will  tell  you,"  intimated  Ralph. 

"Yes,"  burst  out  Zeph  excitedly;  "I  want  these 
three  fellows  arrested,  Mr.  Adair.  They  must  b<2 
locked  up  safe  and  sound,  or  they'll  do  great 
harm." 

"Ah — Evans?  Slump?'  observed  Adair,  rcco'g* 
nizing  the  twain  who  had  caused  the  Great  North- 
ern a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  the  past.  "They'll 
do  on  general  principles.  Who's  this  other 
fellow?" 

"He's  the  worst  of  the  lot,  the  leader.  He's  an 
awful  criminal,"  declared  Zeph  with  bolting  eyes 
and  intense  earnestness.  "Mr.  Adair,  if  you  let 
that  crowd  go  free,  you'll  do  an  awful  wrong." 

"But  what's  the  charge?" 

"Conspiracy.     They're  trying  to " 

"Well,  come  up  to  the  police  station  and  giv$ 
me  something  tangible  to  go  on,  and  I'll  see  that 
they  get  what's  coming  to  them,"  promised  ths 
road  detective. 

"I  can't — say,  see!  my  train.  I've  got  to  go 
with  that  train,  Ralph."  cried  Zeph  in  frantic  agi- 
tation. "Try  and  explain,  don't  let  those  fellows 
get  loose  f^r  a  few  hours — vnst  fortune — Marvin 
Clark — Fred   Porter — Fordham  Cut — big  plot!" 


ZEPH  DALLAS  AGAIN  253 

In  a  •whirl  of  incoherency,  Zeph  dashed  down 
the  tracks,  for  the  train  with  the  tourist  car  had 
started  up.  lie  had  just  time  enough  to  gather  up 
his  scattered  bundles  and  reach  the  platform  of  the 
last  car,  as  the  mixed  train  moved  out  on  the  main 
line  and  out  of  sight,  leaving  his  astonished  audi- 
tors in  a  vast  maze  of  mystery. 


CHAPTER  XXX 


SNOWBOUND 


Chug! 

"A  snowslide!"  exclaimed  Ralph,  in  dismay. 

"An  avalanche !"  declared  Fogg.  "Dodge — 
something's  coming!" 

With  a  crash  both  cab  windows  were  splintered 
to  fragments.  The  young  engineer  of  No.  999 
was  nearly  swept  from  his  seat  as  there  poured  in 
through  the  gap  a  volume  of  snow. 

They  had  struck  an  immense  snowdrift 
obliquely,  but  the  fireman's  side  caught  the  brunt. 
As  the  powerful  locomotive  dove  into  the  drift, 
the  snow  packed  through  the  denuded  window- 
frame  at  the  fireman's  seat  like  grain  into  a  bin. 
A  solid  block  of  snow  was  formed  under  the  ter- 
rific pressure  of  the  compact.  It  lodged  against 
the  coal  of  the  tender  with  a  power  that  would 
probably  have  crushed  the  life  out  of  a  person 
standing  in  the  way. 

"Whew  !"  shouted  Fogg.    "Lucky  I  ducked." 

R.alph  stopped  the  engine,  which  had  been  going 
?54 


SNOWBOUND  255 

slower  and  slower  each  minute  of  the  past  hour. 
They  had  gotten  about  half  the  distance  to  Rock- 
ton.  Long  since,  however,  both  engineer  and  fire- 
man had  fully  decided  that  they  would  never  make 
terminus  that  night.  i 

They  had  left  Stanley  Junction  under  difficul- 
ties. The  snow  was  deep  and  heavy,  and  there 
was  a  further  fall  as  they  cleared  the  limits.  There 
was  no  wind,  but  the  snow  came  down  with  blind- 
ing steadiness  and  volume,  and  at  Vernon  they 
got  the  stop  signal. 

The  operator  stated  that  the  line  ahead  leading 
past  Fordham  Cut  was  impassable.  The  passen- 
ger was  stalled  ten  miles  away,  and  orders  from 
Rockton  were  to  the  effect  that  the  Overland 
Express  should  take  the  cut-off.  This  diverged 
into  the  foothills,  where  there  were  no  such  deep 
cuts  as  on  the  direct  route,  and  where  it  was  hoped 
the  drifts  would  not  be  so  heavy. 

Neither  Ralph  nor  Fogg  was  familiar  with  their 
new  routing.  For  an  hour  they  made  fair  prog- 
ress. Then  they  began  to  encounter  trouble. 
They  did  not  run  a  yard  that  the  pilot  wheels  were 
not  sunk  to  the  rims  in  snow.  Landmarks  were 
blotted  out.  As  they  found  themselves  blindly 
trusting  to  the  power  of  the  giant  locomotive  to 
forge  ahead  despite  obstacles,  they  were  practi- 
cally a  lost  train. 


25G   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

It  was  now,  as  they  dove  bodily  into  a  great 
drift  choking  up  an  embankment  cut,  that  they 
realized  that  they  had  reached  a  definite  angle  in 
their  experience  of  the  run,  and  were  halted  for 
good. 

No.  999  barely  pushed  her  nose  far  enough  out 
of  the  enveloping  drift,  to  enable  Ralph  by  the 
aid  of  the  glaring  headlight  to  discern  other  drifts 
further  ahead. 

''We're  stalled,  that's  dead  sure,"  declared 
Fogg.  "Signal  the  conductor  and  see  what  the 
programme  is." 

It  was  some  time  after  the  tooting  signal  that 
the  conductor  put  in  an  appearance.  He  did  not 
come  along  the  side  track.  That  was  fairly  impos- 
sible, for  it  would  have  been  sheer  burrow  prog- 
ress. He  came  over  the  top  of  the  next  car  to  the 
tender,  a  blind  baggage,  and  as  he  climbed  over 
the  coal  in  the  tender  his  lantern  smashed  and  he 
presented  a  pale  and  anxious  face  to  the  view  of 
the  cab  crew. 

"What's  the  prospects?"  he  inquired  in  a  dis- 
couraged tone. 

"It  looks  like  an  all-night  layover,"  reported 
Ralph. 

"There's  nothing  ahead,  of  course,"  said  the 
conductor  calculatingly.  "There's  a  freight  due 
on  the  in  track.    Behind  us  a  freight  was  to  come, 


SNOWBOUND  257 

provided  No.  1 1  put  out  from  Stanley  Junction 
to-night." 

"Which  I  doubt,"  said  Fogg. 

"If  we  could  back  to  Vernon  we'd  be  in  bet- 
ter touch  with  something  civilized,"  went  on  the 
conductor.     "The  wires  are  all  down  here." 

"I  can  try  it,"  replied  Ralph,  "but  without  a 
pilot  the  rear  car  will  soon  come  to  a  bump." 

"Give  her  a  show,  anyway,"  suggested  the 
conductor. 

Two  minutes'  effort  resulted  in  a  dead  stop. 
The  young  engineer  knew  his  business  well  enough 
to  understand  that  they  were  in  danger  of  run- 
ning the  train  off  the  track. 

"I'll  send  a  signal  back,  if  a  man  can  get  back," 
decided  the  conductor. 

The  backing-up  had  left  a  clear  brief  space 
before  the  train.  Ralph  took  a  lantern  and  left  his 
fireman  in  charge  of  the  locomotive.  He  was 
gone  about  ten  minutes,  and  came  back  panting 
and  loaded  down  with  the  heavy,  clinging  snow. 

"May  as  well  bunk  in  right  here,"  ventured 

Fncr  or 

"That's  it,"  answered  Ralph  definitely.  "It's 
drift  after  drift  ahead.  No  use  disabling  the  loco- 
motive, and  we  simply  can't  hope  to  dig  our  way 
out." 

The  conductor  came  forward  again  looking  mis- 


258   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

erable.  A  red  lantern  had  been  planted  as  far 
down  the  tracks  as  the  brakeman  dared  to  go. 
The  conductor  and  Ralph  held  a  conversation. 
Fogg,  a  veteran  in  the  service,  was  appealed  to 
for  a  final  decision. 

"You've  hit  it."  said  the  fireman  sagely  and 
with  emphasis.  "It's  a  permanent  blockage,  and 
our  only  chance  is  for  the  Great  Northern  to  find 
us  out  or  for  us  to  wait  until  the  snow  melts." 

"If  this  snow  keeps  up  we'll  be  buried  under," 
said  the  conductor. 

"Well,  we've  got  to  make  the  best  of  it," 
advised  Fogg.  ''If  we  can  make  it,  build  a  big 
fire  ahead  there  as  a  warning  or  signal,  although 
I  don't  believe  there's  much  stirring  at  either  end. 
Then  it's  just  a  question  of  food  and  warmth." 

"Food!"  repeated  the  conductor,  who  was  fat 
and  hearty  and  looked  as  if  he  never  willingly 
missed  his  meals;  "where  in  the  world  are  we  to 
get  food  ?  They  cut  the  diner  off  at  the  Junc- 
tion, and  there  probably  isn't  a  farmhouse  or  sta- 
tion along  this  dreary  waste  for  miles." 

"Well,  I  fancy  we'll  have  to  stand  the  hunger," 
said  Ralph.  "As  to  the  heat,  that's  an  essential 
we  mustn't  neglect.  We  had  better  shut  off  the 
steam  pipes,  keeping  only  a  little  fire  in  the  fur- 
nace and  starting  the  stoves  in  the  coaches." 


SNOlVBOVXu  251> 

"Yes,  we  might  last  out  on  that  plan,"  nodded 
the  conductor,  glancing  over  the  tender. 

Ralph  pulled  to  a  spot  about  two  hundred  feet 
ahead,  where  the  advance  and  retreat  of  the  train 
had  cleared  a  space  alongside  the  rails,  and  the 
conductor  went  back  to  the  coaches. 

Ralph  adjusted  the  steam  pipes  so  they  would 
not  freeze,  and  Fogg  banked  the  lire.  Then  they 
got  to  the  ground  with  rake  and  shovel,  and  skir- 
mirshed  around  to  see  what  investigation  might 
develop. 

Despite  the  terrible  weather  and  the  insecurity 
of  their  situation,  the  train  crew  were  soon  cheer- 
ily gathering"  wood  up  beyond  the  embankment. 
They  had  to  dig  deep  for  old  logs,  and  they  broke 
down  tree  branches.  Then  they  cleared  a  space 
at  the  side  of  the  track  and  started  a  great  roaring 
fire  that  flared  high  and  far. 

"Nobody  will  run  into  that,"  observed  Fogg 
with  a  satisfied  chuckle. 

"And  it  may  lead  a  rescue  party,"  suggested 
Ralph. 

Some  of  the  men  passengers  strolled  up  to  the 
fire.  Fear  and  anxiety  had  given  way  to  a  sense 
of  the  novelty  of  the  situation.  Ralph  assured 
them  that  their  comfort  and  safety  would  be 
looked  after.  He  promised  a  foraging  party  at 
daylight  in  search  of  food  supplies. 


o GO   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

"They're  talking  about  you  back  there  in  the 
coaches,  Fairbanks,"  reported  the  conductor  a 
little  later.  "They  know  about  your  arrange- 
ments for  their  comfort,  and  they're  chatting  and 
laughing,  and  taking  it  all  in  like  a  regular  picnic." 

"I  suppose  you've  been  giving  me  undue  credit, 
you  modest  old  hero!"  laughed  Ralph. 

"Hello!"  suddenly  exclaimed  Fogg;  "now, 
what  is  that?" 

All  hands  stared  far  to  the  west.  A  dim  red 
flame  lit  the  sky.  Then  it  appeared  in  a  new  spot, 
still  far  away.  This  was  duplicated  until  there 
ivere  vague  red  pencils  of  light  piercing  the  sky 
from  various  points  of  the  compass. 

"It's  queer,"  commented  the  conductor. 
"Something's  in  action,  but  what,  and  how?" 

"There!"  exclaimed  Fogg,  as  suddenly  seem- 
ingly just  beyond  the  heavy  drift  immediately  in 
front  of  the  train  the  same  glare  was  seen. 

"Yes,  and  here,  too!"  shouted  out  the  conduc- 
tor, jumping  back. 

Almost  at  his  feet  something  dropped  from 
midair  like  a  rocket,  a  bomb.  It  instantly  burst 
out  in  a  vivid  red  flame.  Ralph  investigated,  and 
while  thus  engaged  two  more  of  the  colored  mes" 
sengers,  projectiles,  fireworks,  whatever  they 
were,  rained  down,  one  about  half-way  down  the 
train,  the  other  bevond  it. 


SNOll'BOUXD  2G1 

The  young  engineer  was  puzzled  at  first,  but  he 
soon  made  out  all  that  theory  and  logic  could 
suggest.  There  was  no  doubt  but  that  some  one 
at  a  distance  had  fired  the  queer  little  spheres, 
which  were  made  of  the  same  material  as  the  reg- 
ular train  fuse,  only  these  burned  twice  as  long 
as  those  used  as  railroad  signals,  or  fully  twenty 
minutes. 

"I  make  it  out,"  explained  Ralph  to  the  con- 
ductor, "that  somebody  with  a  new-fangled  device 
like  a  Roman  candle  is  sending  out  these  bombs  as 
signals." 

"Then  we're  not  alone  in  our  misery," 
remarked  Fogg. 

"First  they  went  west,  then  they  came  this 
way,"  continued  Ralph.  "I  should  say  that  it 
iooks  as  if  the  signal  is  on  a  train  stalled  like  us 
about  a  mile  away.     I'll  soon  know." 

Ralph  got  into  the  cab.  In  a  minute  or  two  No. 
999  began  a  series  of  challenge  whistles  that 
echoed  far  and  wide. 

"Hark!"  ordered  Fogg,  as  they  waited  for  a 
reply. 

"A  mere  peep,"  reported  the  conductor,  as  a 
faint  whistle  reached  their  strained  hearing  above 
the  noise  of  the  tempest. 

"Yes,"  nodded  Fogg,  "I  figure  it  out.     There's 


2G2   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

a  train  somewhere  near  with  the  locomotive  nigh 
dead." 

"If  it  should  be  the  east  freight  stalled,"  sug- 
gested Ralph  to  the  conductor,  "you  needn't 
worry  about  those  hungry  children  in  the  coaches, 
and  that  baby  you  told  about  wanting  milk." 

"No,  the  east  freight  is  a  regular  provision 
train,"  put  in  the  fireman.  "If  we  could  reach 
her.  we'd  have  our  pick  of  eatables." 

It  was  two  hours  later,  and  things  had  quieted 
down  about  the  snowed-in  train,  when  a  series  of 
shouts  greeted  Ralph,  Fogg  and  the  conductor, 
seated  on  a  broken  log  around  the  fire  at  the  side 
of  the  tracks. 

"What's  this  new  windfall!"  exclaimed  Fogg. 

"More  signals,"  echoed  the  conductor,  staring 
vaguely. 

"Human  signals,  then,"  supplemented  Ralph. 
"Well,  here's  a  queer  arrival." 

Five  persons  came  toppling  down  the  side  of  the 
embankment,  in  a  string.  Thev  were  tied  together 
at  intervals  along  a  rope.  All  in  a  mix-up,  they 
landed  helter-skelter  in  the  snow  of  the  cut.  They 
resembled  Alpine  tourists,  arrived  on  a  landslide. 

"Why,  it's  Burton,  fireman  of  the  east  freight !" 
shouted  the  conductor,  recognizing  the  first  of  the 
five  who  picked  himself  up  from  the  snow. 

"That's   who!"   answe'.ed  the  man  addressed. 


SNOWBOUND  2G3 

panting  hard.     "We're  stalled  about  a  mile  down 
the  cut.    Coal  given  out.  no  steam.    Saw  your  fire, 

didn't  want  to  freeze  to  death  quite,  so " 

"We  guessed  that  you  were  the  Overland," 
piped  in  a  fresh,  boyish  voice.  "Packed  up  some 
eatables,  and  here  we  are.  How  do  you  like  my 
new  railroad  rocket  signals.  Engineer  Fair- 
banks?" and  Archie  Graham,  the  young  inventor, 
picked  himself  up  from  the  snow. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 


CONCLUSION 


One  hour  after  daybreak  the  vicinity  of  the 
snowbound  Overland  Express  resembled  a  pic- 
ture, rather  than  a  forlorn  blockade. 

The  lone  adventurers  who  had  made  the  trip 
from  the  stalled  freight  had  been  a  relief  party 
indeed.  The  engineer  was  a  railroader  of  long 
experience,  and  he  had  thought  out  the  dilemma 
of  the  refugees.  He  and  his  companions  had 
broken  open  a  freight  car  and  had  brought  each  a 
good  load.  There  was  coffee,  sugar,  crackers, 
canned  meats,  a  ham,  and,  what  was  most  wel- 
come to  anxious  mothers  and  their  babes,  a  whole 
crate  of  condensed  milk. 

There  never  was  a  more  jolly  breakfast  than 
that  aboard  the  snowbound  coaches.  There  was 
plenty  to  eat  and  to  spare  all  around,  and  plenty 
more  at  the  stalled  freight,  everybody  knew.  In 
front  of  the  engine  many  a  merry  jest  went  the 
rounds,  as  the  train  crews  and  some  of  the  pas- 
264 


CONCLUSION  265 

sengers  broiled  pieces  of  succulent  ham  on  the 
end  of  pointed  twigs. 

"You  see,  it  was  this  way,"  Archie  Graham 
explained  to  the  young  engineer  of  No.  999.  "I 
was  just  watching  a  chance  for  washouts  or  snow- 
storms to  get  on  a  train  diving  into  the  danger. 
Those  red  bombs  are  my  invention.  I  shoot  them 
from  a  gun.  I  can  send  them  a  mile  or  gauge 
thm  to  go  fifty  feet.  They  ignite  when  they  drop, 
and  by  sending  out  a  lot  of  them  they  are  bound 
to  land  somewhere  near  the  train  you  aim  at 
The  engineer  is  bound  to  take  notice,  just  as  you 
did,  of  the  glare,  and  that's  where  they  beat  the 
fusees  and  save  the  running  back  of  a  brakeman." 

"Archie,"  said  Ralph  honestly,  "I  believe  you'n! 
going  to  hit  some  real  invention  some  time." 

"I  helped  out  some  with  my  patent  rocket  sig- 
nals this  time,"  declared  Archie. 

"You  did,  my  lad,"  observed  Fogg  with  enthu- 
siasm, "and  the  passengers  know  all  about  it,  and 
they've  mentioned  you  in  a  letter  they're  getting 
up  to  the  company  saying  how  they  appreciate 
the  intelligence — that's  Fairbanks — the  courage, 
ahem !  that's  me,  and  the  good-heartedness,  that's 
all  of  us,  of  the  two  train  crews." 

By  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  a  snow  plow 
opened  up  the  line  from  Rockton  to  the  stalled 
train.     It  was  not  until  two  mornings  later,  how 


20(3   RALPH  ON  THE  OVERLAXD  EXPRESS 

ever,  that  the  main  line  was  open  and  Ralph  and 
Fogg  got  back  to  Stanley  Junction. 

Archie  came  on  the  same  train.  Ralph  asked 
him  up  to  the  house,  but  the  young  inventor  said 
he  wanted  the  quiet  of  his  hotel  room  to  work  on 
his  signal  rocket  idea,  which  he  declared  would 
amount  to  something  yet. 

The  young  engineer  had  scarcely  got  in  the 
house  after  the  warm,  cheerful  greeting  of  his 
anxious  mother,  when  Zeph  Dallas  put  in  an 
appearance. 

Zeph  was  looking  exceedingly  prosperous.  Hfc 
wore  a  new,  nicely-fitting  suit  of  clothes,  a  modesl 
watch  and  chain,  and  was  quite  dignified  and  sub- 
dued, for  him. 

"When  you've  had  your  breakfast,  Ralph,"  he 
said,  '"I've  got  something  to  tell  you." 

"Yes,"  nodded  Ralph,  "I'm  expecting  to  hear 
a  pretty  long  story  from  you,  Zeph." 

The  young  engineer  hurried  his  breakfast  and 
soon  joined  Zeph  in  the  sitting-room. 

"Say,  Ralph,"  at  once  observed  his  friend, 
"you've  done  some  big  things  in  your  time,  but 
the  biggest  thing  you  ever  did  was  when  you  saw 
to  it  that  Jim  Evans  and  Ike  Slump,  and  most 
of  all,  that  fellow,  Morris,  were  held  as  prison- 
ers bv  Adair,  the  road  detective." 


CONCLUSION  2G7 

I  fancied  they  deserved  locking  up,"  remarked 
ftalph. 

"There  would  have  been  a  murder  if  you  hadn't 
seen  to  it,"  declared  Zeph.  "I've  a  story  to  tell 
that  would  make  your  hair  stand  on  end,  but  it 
would  take  a  book  to  tell  it  all." 

"I'm  here  to  listen,  Zeph,"  intimated  Ralph. 

"Yes,  but  I'm  due  to  meet  Mr.  Adair  at  the  jail. 
He's  sent  Evans  and  Slump  back  to  the  prison 
they  escaped  from.  I  hurried  on  here  from  the 
Fordham  cut  purposely  to  tell  him  what  I  wanted 
done  with  Morris." 

"I  say,  Zeph,"  rallied  the  young  railroader, 
"you  seem  to  have  a  big  say  in  such  things  for  a 
small  boy." 

"That's  all  right,"  declared  Zeph  goo  i- 
naturedly;  "I'm  all  here,  just  the  same,  and  I'm 
aere  for  a  big  purpose.  In  a  word,  not  to  mysti  ty 
7011,  Ralph,  for  you  know  only  half  of  the  stoiy, 
[  was  hired  by  Marvin  Clark,  the  son  of  the  Mid- 
dletown  &  Western  Railroad  president,  to  do  all 
I've  done,  and  I  have  been  royally  paid  for  it." 

"Then  you  must  have  done  something  effec- 
tive," observed  Ralph. 

"Clark  thought  so,  anyway.  I'll  try  and  be 
brief  and  to  the  point,  so  that  you'll  understand 
in  a  nutshell.  You  know  Marvin  Clark  a"^  Fred 
Porter  and  the  two  Canaries?" 


268   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

The  young  engineer  nodded  assentinglv. 

"Well,  as  I  say,  I  ran  across  Clark  accidentally 
in  my  stray  wanderings.  He  and  a  sickly  boy 
named  Ernest  Gregg  were  living  in  a  fixed-over 
building  at  Fordham  Spur.  I  seemed  to  be  just 
the  person  Clark  was  waiting  for.  He  hired  me 
to  do  some  work  for  him.  He  was  planning  to  get 
the  poor  boy,  Gregg,  his  rights." 

"Yes,  I  know  about  that,"  observed  Ralph. 

"Then  if  you  do,  I  can  hurry  over  things.  It 
seems  that  when  he  began  to  look  up  Gregg's 
affairs,  he  found  out  that  Ernest  had  a  strange 
hermit  of  a  grandfather,  named  Abijah  Gregg. 
Ernest's  father  was  an  only  son.  About  five  years 
ago  the  old  man  discovered  a  terrible  forgery  in 
which  he  was  robbed  of  over  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars. He  had  reason  to  believe  that  Ernest's 
father  and  a  man  named  Howard  were  responsi- 
ble for  it.  He  disowned  his  son  and  all  his  family, 
and  a  month  later  Ernest's  father  died,  leaving  his 
son  a  disowned  and  homeless  outcast." 

"And  what  became  of  Howard?"  inquired  the 
interested  Ralph. 

"He  disappeared.  Old  Gregg  became  soured  at 
all  humanity  after  that,"  narrated  Zeph ;  "the 
more  so  because  he  had  a  profligate  nephew  who 
turned  out  bad.  This  was  the  man  in  jail  here 
now." 


CONCLUSION  269 

"Lord  Lionel  Montague — Morris?" 

"Yes,  Morris  robbed  the  old  man,  who  became 
afraid  of  him.  The  old  man  tried  to  hide  away 
from  everybody.  In  his  wanderings  he  picked 
up  the  two  Canaries  and  settled  down  at  the  lonely 
place  at  Fordham  Cut.  He  was  very  rich,  partly- 
paralyzed,  and  intended  to  leave  his  fortune  to  the 
state,  rather  than  have  any  relative  benefit  by  it. 
Well,  Marvin  Clark,  the  splendid,  unselfish  fellow, 
got  a  clew  to  all  this.  He  located  old  Abijah 
Gregg.  He  spent  just  loads  of  money  following 
down  points,  until  he  discovered  that  the  mac 
Howard  was  a  broken-down  invalid  in  New  Mex- 
ico. Clark  was  sicK  himself  for  a  month,  and 
that  was  why  Fred  Porter  did  not  hear  from 
him." 

"And  later?'  asked  Ralph. 

''I  ran  across  Porter  and  brought  him  to  ths 
Spur  about  a  month  ago.  He  is  there  now.  Well, 
Clark  found  out  positively  that  Ernest's  father 
never  had  a  thing  to  do  with  forgery.  It  had 
been  really  committed  by  Howard  and  this  vil- 
lain, Morris.  He  got  in  touch  with  Howard  in 
New  Mexico,  who  was  a  dying  man.  He  found 
him  anxious  to  make  what  reparation  he  could  for 
a  wicked  deed.  Old  Gregg  would  not  go  to  New 
Mexico.  Howard  could  only  live  where  the  air 
was  just  right  for  him.     The  physicians  said  that 


270   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

if  he  ever  went  to  any  other  climate,  the  change 
of  atmosphere  would  kill  him.  With  plenty  of 
money  at  his  command,  Clark  arranged  it  all.  The 
New  Mexico  doctors  got  a  tank  that  held  an  arti' 
ficial  air,  and  Clark  arranged  so  that  Howard 
could  come  east  in  a  special  car." 

"And  the  first  tourist  car  that  you  ran  empty  to 
the  Spur?"  inquired  Ralph. 

"Why,  we  knew  that  Morris  was  trying  every 
way  to  locate  and  annoy  his  uncle.  We  thought 
that  maybe  he  had  got  onto  our  plans  about  How- 
ard. We  ran  the  dummy  car  to  see  if  we  were 
being  watched.  Don't  you  see,  that  if  Morris  had 
succeeded  in  smashing  the  glass  air  tank,  Howard 
would  have  died  before  he  could  tell  his  story  to 
old  Mr.  Gregg." 

"And  now?"  said  Ralph. 

"The  story  has  been  told.  Old  Mr.  Gregg  is 
convinced  that  his  son  was  innocent  of  forgery. 
He  will  take  care  of  his  grandson  and  make  him 
his  heir,  and  young  Clark,  as  you  see,  has  done  a 
grand  thing." 

"Yes,  indeed,"  assented  Ralph. 

"Howard  will  return  to  New  Mexico  with  a 
relieved  conscience.  I  am  going  to  the  jail  here 
now  to  see  Morris.  If  he  will  agree  to  leave  the 
country  and  never  annoy  his  uncle  again,  I  will 
give  him  a  certain  large  sum  of  money,  as  directed 


CONCLUSION  271' 

by  his  uncle.  If  he  doesn't,  he  will  be  prosecuted 
for  the  forgery." 

"Zeph,"  observed  the  young  railroader  enthusi- 
astically, "you  have  proven  yourself  not  only  a 
real  detective,  but  a  splendid  lawyer,  as  well." 

"Thank  you,"  returned  Zeph,  and  blushed  mod- 
estly; "most  everybody  that  gets  in  with  you  does 
some  kind  of  good  in  the  world." 

It  was  two  hours  later  when  a  messenger  came 
to  the  Fairbanks  home  with  a  letter  for  Ralph. 

The  young  engineer  flushed  with  pleasure  as  he 
read  a  brief  communication  from  the  master 
mechanic,  advising  him  that  Air.  Robert  Grant, 
president  of  the  Great  Northern,  was  at  Stanley 
Junction,  and  wished  to  see  him  for  a  few  min- 
utes at  the  Waverly  Hotel. 

Ralph  told  his  mother  of  the  incident,  and  her 
eyes  followed  him  fondly  and  proudly  as,  arrayed 
in  his  best,  Ralph  started  out  to  keep  his 
appointment. 

It  was  a  warm  welcome  that  the  young  rail- 
roader received  from  the  great  railroad  magnate. 
Mr.  Grant  went  over  their  mutual  experiences  the 
night  of  the  wild  dash  of  the  special  from  Rock- 
ton  to  Shelby  Junction. 

"You  did  a  most  important  service  for  the  road 
that  night,  Faibanks,"  said  the  railroad  president; 
"bow  much,  is  a  secret  in  the  archives  of  the  com- 


272   RALPH  OX  THE  OVERLAND  EXPRESS 

pany,  but  I  can  say  to  you  confidentially  that  the 
Mountain  Division  would  have  passed  to  another 
line  if  we  had  not  acted  in  time." 

"I  am  very  glad,"  said  Ralph  modestly. 

"I  want  to  acknowledge  that  service.  I  am  only 
the  president  of  the  road."  said  Mr.  Grant,  smil- 
ing, and  Ralph  smiled,  too,  "so  being  a  servant  of 
the  road,  I  must  act  under  orders.  I  learned  that, 
like  all  thrifty  young  men,  you  had  a  savings 
account  at  the  bank  here.  I  have  deposited  there 
the  company's  check  for  one  thousand  dollars  to 
your  account." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Grant "  began  Ralph,  but  the  rail- 
road president  held  up  his  hand  to  check  the 
interruption. 

"As  to  Fogg,"  went  on  Mr.  Grant,  "the  road 
has  closed  up  the  subscription  in  his  behalf,  by 
giving  him  sufficient  to  rebuild  his  burned-down 
house." 

Ralph's  face  was  aglow  with  pride,  pleasure 
and  happiness. 

"So,  good-by  for  the  present,  Fairbanks,"  con- 
cluded the  railroad  president,  grasping  Ralph's 
hand  warmly.  "There  are  higher  places  for  ambi- 
tious young  men  in  the  service  of  the  road,  as  you 
know.  I  shall  not  try  to  influence  your  plans, 
for  I  know  that  sheer  merit  will  put  you  forward 


CONCLUSION  273 

when  you  decide  to  advance.  As  to  my  personal 
influence,  that,  you  know,  is  yours  to  command. 
For  the  present,  however,  we  should  regret  to  see 
the  Overland  Express  in  other  hands  than  those 
of  the  youngest  and  the  best  engineer  on  the  Great 
Northern." 


